I 


ORIGIN   OF  SIN 


AND    ITS 


RELATIONS   TO  GOD 


THE  UNIVERSE 


BY 

REV.  E.  W.  COOK,  A.  M. 
VI 


IT  matters  not  so  much  what  men  have  re- 
garded as  truth,  as  what  is  truth. 

"Retolved,  That  if  ever  I  live  to  years,  I  will 
be  impartial  to  hear  the  reasons  of  all  pre- 
tended discoveries,  and  receive  them  if  ra- 
tional, how  long  so  ever  I  have  been  used 
to  another  way  of  thinking." 

JONATHAN  EDWARDS 


FUNK  &   WAGNALLS  COMPANY 

NEW   YORK   AND   LONDON 
1899 


Copyright,  1899,  by 

FUNK  &  WAGNAIAS  COMPANY 

[Registered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  England] 

PRINTED  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  SIN 


PREFACE. 

THIS  book  is  not  a  mere  reproduction  of  old  opin- 
ions, but  is  an  original  discussion  of  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  Evangelical  system. 

Neither  is  it  a  hasty  production,  the  outline  of  it, 
very  nearly  as  it  appears  in  the  closing  chapter  — 
"  PLAN  OF  THE  UNIVERSE  " — having  been  first  pub- 
lished by  the  author  as  a  newspaper  article  under 
date  of  Dec.  26,  1845. 

Neither  is  it  designed  to  be  controversial;  and  very 
little  is  said  in  the  way  of  refuting  the  opinions  of 
others. 

Also,  it  is  written  for  the  common  mind;  and  aims 
to  present  the  great,  underlying  principles  of  God's 
moral  government  in  such  clear  and  simple  lan- 
guage, that  the  uneducated  mind  will  be  able  to  un- 
derstand it.  The  majority  of  our  theological  trea- 
tises are  too  scholarly  for  the  apprehension  of  any 
but  a  trained  theologian.  Metaphysical  language, 
therefore,  and  such  as  only  a  trained  intellect  would 
readily  comprehend,  have  been  carefully  avoided. 
The  design  has  been  to  reach  the  mass  of  our  church 
members,  who  would  be  interested  in  theological 
discussion  could  they  understand  and  appreciate  it; 
and  so  the  entire  work  is  expressed  in  the  common 
language  of  common  life. 

At  the  same  time  it  discusses  the  profoundest 


VI  PREFACE. 

problems  of  the  universe  —  the  relations  of  the  Al- 
mighty to  the  moral  system  of  which  he  is  the  cre- 
ator and  responsible  guardian,  what  are  the 
underlying  principles  of  His  administration  over  it, 
and  how  the  tangled  gfcein  of  hqman  life  and  experi- 
ence —  tt^e  faarfl  and  fcnottv  problems  which  con- 
front us  on  every  side,  may  yet  be  consistent  with 
infinite  and  perfect  benevolence. 

It  is  also  meant  especially  to  be  in  strict  accord- 
ance with  the  declarations  of  the  Inspired  Word, 
indorsing  heartily  the  recent  utterance  of  one  of  our 
most  distinguished  preachers — "All  that  the  Bible 
clearly  teaches  is  essential.  All  that  the  Bible  does 
not  clearly  teach  has  no  place  in  Christian  faith. ' ' 

It  is  hoped  that  this  attempt  to  grapple  with 
some  of  the  most  difficult  of  our  theological  prob- 
lems will  appear  not  to  have  been  entirely  unsuc- 
cessful. 

K.  W.  C. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction xv 

CHAPTER  I. 

OUR    PRESENT    POSITION   IN    THE    UNIVERSE. 

SEC.  I. — The  infancy  of  the  moral  system 21 

SEC.  2. — The  future  universe 30 

CHAPTER  II. 

MORAL    EVIL    IN   ITS   ORIGIN  AND   CHARACTERISTICS. 

I. — The  origin  of  sin 33 

SEC.  i. — Who  were  the  first  sinful  beings  ? 33 

SEC.  2. — The  occasion  of  sin 33 

SEC.  3. — Objections: 

1.  The  occasion  of  sin  being  a  necessary  element 

in  the  soul,  its  indulgence  cannot  be  sinful. ...     45 
Remorse 47 

2.  Adam  obeyed  God  for  some  time  after  his  crea- 

tion       51 

3.  The  unf alien  angels  have  not  sinned 52 

4.  Then  there  must  have  been  such  an  occasion  of 

sin  in  Christ 52 

5.  This  view  would  necessitate  self-denial  in  the 

Almighty 53 

EVOLUTION 56 

HEREDITARY  DEPRAVITY 60 

1.  History  of  the  doctrine 62 

2.  Scripture  argument 68 

3.  Argument  from  reason 74 

4.  The  hypothesis  not  to  be  entertained 76 

5.  The   real  consequences  of  Adam's  sin   to  the 

race 84 

vii 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

II. — Characteristics  of  sin 86 

SEC.   i. — Sin  a  wicked  principle  of  the  heart 86 

SEC.  2. — This  selfish  principle  exerts  a  predominating 

power  over  the  moral  nature 89 

SEC.  3. — The  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin 90 

CHAPTER    III. 

MORAL    EVIL    IN   ITS    RELATIONS   TO   THE   ALMIGHTY. 

SEC.  i. — Why  did  God  create  a  moral  system  ? 93 

SEC.  2. — The  leading  end  or  object  God  has  in  view  in 

its  progress  and  management 95 

SEC.  3. — The  prevention  of  sin 96 

SEC.  4. — The  f oreordination  of  sin 106 

SEC.  5. — Is  sin  overruled  for  good  ? in 

SEC.  6. — Exegesis  of  Rom.  ix  :  18 114 

SEC.  7. — God  not  responsible  for  the  existence  of  sin. .  118 

SEC.  8. — God's  abhorrence  of  sin  is  measureless 120 

CHAPTER  IV. 

MORAL   EVIL   IN   ITS    RELATIONS   TO    THE   FALLEN   ANGELS. 

SEC.   i. — When  were  they  created  ? 123 

SEC.  2. — Their  original  constitution 124 

SEC.  3. — Circumstances  of  their  creation 124 

SEC.  4. — Their    probation 125 

SEC.  5. — Motives 130 

SEC,  6. — Why  they  were  not  redeemed 140 

SEC.  7. — Their  punishment 143 

CHAPTER  V. 

AMORAL  EVIL  IN   ITS   RELATIONS   TO   THE   HUMAN   RACE. 

SEC.  i. — The  creation  of  man 146 

SEC.  2. — Connection  with  a  physical  body 150 

SEC.  3.  Temptation  by  malignant  beings 156 

1.  A  personal  devil 157 

2.  Temptation  in  Eden 157 

3.  Benevolence  of  temptation  generally 160 

SEC.  4. — The   conditions   of   infancy. —  Death    in    in- 
fancy   164 


CONTENTS.  ix 

SEC.  5. — The  parental  relation 168 

SEC.  6. — Other  aspects  of  human  probation 174 

CHAPTER  VI. 

MORAL   EVIL   IN    ITS    RELATIONS    TO   THE   UNFALLEN   ANGELS. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

MORAL  EVIL  IN  ITS   RELATIONS   TO   REDEMPTION. 

I. — The  Atonement  in  its  relation  to  man 186 

The  design  of  the  atonement  is: 

1.  To  provide  the  possibility  of  pardon 186 

2.  To  overcome  the  wilfulness    and  obstinacy  of 

the  sinner 188 

3.  To  set  before  men  a  perfect  example  of  holy 

living 190 

4.  To  introduce  into  the  world  the  influences  of  the 

Holy  Spirit 190 

5.  To  give  the  redeemed  at  last  an  abundant  en- 

trance into  heaven 191 

6.  The  atonement  was  intended  for  the  salvation 

of  all  mankind 192 

II. —  The  Atonement  in  its  relations  to  the  unf alien  angels. .    195 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

MORAL    EVIL   IN    ITS    FINAL   AND   ETERNAL  ISSUES   UPON   THE 
UNGODLY. 

SEC.  i. — Fundamental  principles  of  moral  government.   199 
SEC.  2. — The  doctrine  of  endless  punishment  not  ab- 
surd    204 

SEC.  3. — The  nature  and  necessities  of  God's  perfect 
moral  government  demand  endless  punish- 
ment as  the  only  proper  penalty  for  sin 207 

1.  The  supposition  of  no  penalty 207 

2.  The  supposition  of  limited  and  temporary  pen- 

alty   209 

3.  Penalty  must  correspond  with  the  enormity  of 

sin 213 

4.  With  the  mischief  of  sin, , , 213 


X  CONTENTS. 

5.  Penalty  in   its  relations  to  the  sacredness  and 

value  of  God's  Law 215 

6.  There  must  be  a  correspondence  between  the 

appropriate  reward  of  obedience,  and  the  ap- 
propriate penalty  of  disobedience 216 

SEC.  4. — The  harmony  of  the    Divine    administration 

necessitates  endless  penalty 217 

SEC.   5. — Penalty  in  its  relations  to  the  atonement 218 

SEC.  6. — All  possible  efforts  to  save  men  are  tried  in 

this  world 221 

1.  The  appeal  to  affection 222 

2.  The  appeal  to  fear 227 

3.  The    agency  of  the   Holy  Spirit  to  give  them 

efficacy 228 

SEC.  7. — All  the  probable  surroundings  of  the  sinner 
after  death  are  adverse  to  the  doctrine  of  his 

restoration 229 

Objection  :    The  condition  of  the  heathen 234 

1.  They  are  truly  sinful 234 

2.  They  are  inexcusable  in  their  sinfulness 235 

3.  The  heathen  fully  recognize  their  guilt 235 

4.  They  do  have  a  fair  probation 236 

SEC.  8. — The  habit  of  sinning  will,  to  all  appearance, 

remain  unchanged  by  the  event  of  death 239 

SEC.  9. — Sinful  character  not  changed  hereafter  by  the 

exertion  of  Divine  power 243 

SEC.  10. — The  sinner  in  the  future  world  will  have  no 

desire  for  a  change  of  character 245 

1.  There  will  be  no  regret  that  he  is  sinful 245 

2.  The   positive  love  of  sin  will  increase  with  in- 

creasing wickedness 246 

SEC.  ii- — The  wicked,  in  the  future   world,   will  not 
seek  the  companionship  of  God,  nor  desire  a 

home  in  heaven 247 

SEC.  12. — Punishment  in  itself  has  no  tendency  to  re- 
form character 248 

SEC.  13. — The  suffering  of  perdition  will  have  no  ten- 
dency to  improve  character 251 


CONTENTS.  XI 

SEC.  14. — Nothing  can  be  done  with  the  sinner  here- 
after, but  to  confine  him  in  the  great  prison- 
house  , 258 

1.  There  would  be  nothing  gained  by  his  release. .  258 

2.  The   offer  of   salvation  would   be   rejected  by 

those  in  perdition 258 

3.  The  annihilation  of  the  wicked  is  impossible. . .  259 

(1)  They  have  thus  far  been  kept  in  existence.  259 

(2)  They  deserve  endless  punishment 260 

(3)  If  annihilated,  why  should  they  have  been 
created? 260 

(4)  The  moral  government  of  God    demands 
their  endless  punishment 261 

(5)  No  proof  of  annihilation  in  the  Bible 261 

4.  Endless  freedom  while  sinning  impossible 262 

5.  Endless  confinement  the  only  thing  remaining. .  265 

SEC.  15. — Benevolence  of  the  moral  system 265 

SEC.  16. — Objections 270 

1.  "  Would  you  punish  your  child  eternally  ?  " 270 

2.  "  If  my  friends  are  to  be  lost,  I  should  desire  to 

be  with  them." 271 

3.  "  How  can  I  be  happy  in  heaven,  knowing  that 

my  friends  are  suffering  ?  " 272 

4.  "  The  sins  of  so  short  a  period  as  human  life 

can  not  merit  an  eternity  of  punishment." 274 

5.  "A  finite  being  can  not  commit  an  infinite  sin, 

and,  therefore,  can  not  merit  unlimited  punish- 
ment."    275 

6.  "All  punishment  is  for  the  reformation  of  the 

offender,  and  can  not,  therefore,  be  endless."..  276 

7.  "A  progressive  system  like  ours  will  cure  it- 

self."   276 

8.  "  The  infliction  of  endless  penalty  would  render 

the  character  of  the  Almighty  unlovely  and 
repulsive." 277 

9.  The   system  of  naturalism  assumes  finite  pen- 

alty without  proof 280 

10.  To  create  beings,  knowing  that  they  will  be 
lost,  can  not  be  benevolent 283 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

MORAL  EVIL  IN  ITS  RELATIONS  TO  THE  ENDLESS  FUTURE. 

SEC.  i. — The  future  of  the  universe 286 

SEC.  2. — Motives 287 

1. — The  endless  punishment  of  the  wicked  will  be  used 
as  a  motive  to  deter  the  future  universe  from 
rebellion 289 

THEORY  OF  DR.  BUSHNELL. 

Objection. — Observation  on  the  consequences  of  sin 

would  be  useless 289 

NOTE. — This  view  sacrifices  one  class  of  beings  for  the 

benefit  of  another 294 

II. — Redemption  in  its  relations  to  the  future  universe.  296 

Objection — 

1.  These  motives  do  not  deter  men  here  from  sin- 

ning   304 

2.  Newly-created   beings   cannot    appreciate    the 

love  and  mercy  of  God  in  redemption 307 

CHAPTER  X. 

BIBLE   TESTIMONY. 

SEC.  i. — General  attitude  of  the  Almighty  toward  sin 

in  this  world 312 

SEC.  2. — The  wicked  excluded  from  Heaven 318 

SEC.  3. — The  wicked  sent  to  a  place  of  punishment. . . .  320 

SEC.  4. — The  punishment  of  the  wicked  endless 323 

SEC.  5. — The  doctrine  of  the  Old  Testament 327 

CHAPTER  XI. 

PRACTICAL   MATTERS. 

1.  Absurdities  of  Universalism 329 

2.  Faith  in  God's  Word 342 

3.  Matter  of  preaching 351 

4.  Ministerial  responsibility 355 

5.  Quotation  from  Richard  Baxter 358 

CHAPTER    XII. — PLAN  OF  THE   UNIVERSE.  .  .  .    362 

APPENDIX  A. — THE   REDEEMED   CHURCH 366 

APPENDIX    B.— THE   MIDDLE   STATE 383 


INDEX  TO  FOOT-NOTES. 


Origin  of  sin  a  mystery 34 

Exegesis  of  Jam.  i  :  14  by  DR.  KNAPP 38 

Is  the  love  of  self-indulgence  or  the  love  of  freedom 

the  occasion  of  sin  ? 42 

Christ  tempted  as  we  are 49 

The  doctrine  of  total  depravity 61 

AUGUSTINE'S  view  of  Rom.  v  :  12 62 

The  doctrine  of  original  sin  and  infant  damnation 63 

BEECHER'S  doctrine  of  pre-existence 68 

KNIGHT'S  paraphrase  of  Rom.  v  :  19 71 

Creationism  and  traducianism 75 

Different  kinds  of  necessity 97 

Errors  respecting  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. . . .  100 

Exegesis  of  Prov.  xxi  :  i 103 

Careful  use  of  motives 105 

Exegesis  of  Ps.  Ixxvi  :  10 112 

Definition  of  election 117 

Anticipative  consequences  of  sin 150 

Rom.  v  :  12,  "All  have  sinned." 164 

Errors  in  parental  training 170 

Creation  of  the  Unfallen  Angels 181 

CONNYBEARE    and    HOWSON  on  the   relation    of    the 

atonement  to  the  un fallen  angels 183 

TOWNSEND'S  note  on  the  same 183 

The  atonement  delivers  from  sin 192 

Must  I  believe  the  Gospel  ? 198 

DR.  TAYLOR'S  definitions  of  moral  government 199 

Probation  after  death 232 

Why  God  makes  efforts  to  save  those  whom  he  fore- 
knows will  be  lost 245 

xiii 


XIV  INDEX    TO    FOOT-NOTES. 

Chastisement  by  earthly  parents 248 

Blasphemies  under  suffering 255 

COWLES  on  the  use  God  will  make  of  the  wicked  here- 
after   293 

DR.  BUSHNEL'S  theory  of  the  universe 305 

REV.  ALBERT  BARNES'  trouble 309 

Our  object  is  to  consider  the  duration,  and  not  the 

nature,  of  future  punishment 312 

The  word  hell,  in  the  Scriptures,  means  only  the  grave.  313 

JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS  on  the  Atonement 347 

Dr.  Bellamy's  view  of  the  universe 368 

CALVIN'S  commentary  on  Eph.  i :  23 379 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  wave  of  Universalism  now  sweeping  over  the 
English  and  American  Churches  is  due  mainly,  it  is 
believed,  to  erroneous  views  of  the  origin  and  na- 
ture of  sin,  and  its  relations  to  the  moral  govern- 
ment of  God. 

The  Evangelical  Churches  generally  trace  the  uni- 
versality of  human  sinfulness  to  the  connection  of 
the  race  with  sinful  Adanyof  which  connection  God 
is  manifestly  the  responsible  author. 

The  Evolutionist  traces  sin  to  the  "semi-brutal 
character  ' '  which  man  ' '  has  brought  up  with  him 
from  the  animal  world  ' '  from  which  the  race  is  said 
to  have  been  derived.  In  this  view  the  occasion  of 
sin  in  man,  in  the  language  of  one  of  the  recent  ad- 
vocates of  evolution,  is  "  fastened  upon  him  by  his 
Maker." 

The  advocates  of  Conditional  Immortality  assume 
that  sin  results  in  annihilation  ;  of  which  they  give 
no  satisfactory  proof. 

The  Restorationists  assume  that  all  punishment  is 
for  the  reformation  of  the  offender  ;  thus  ignoring 
the  necessary  relations  of  penalty  to  moral  govern- 
ment. 

The  Higher  Critics  make  the  Bible  teach  what 
they  wish  to  believe  respecting  both  sin  and  its 
punishment. 


XVl  INTRODUCTION. 

The  Universalists  give  both  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked  the  same  final  destiny.  Against  each  and  all 
of  these  this  book  is  aimed. 

But  the  writer  attempts  to  go  beyond  the  mere 
refutation   of   these  erroneous  views,    and  takes  a 
positive  position  thus : 
""""The  Bible  is  a  revelation  from  God. 
—  The  Bible  plainly  teaches  the  doctrine  of  Endless 
Punishment. 

If  so,  then  there  is  an  imperious  necessity  lying  back 
of  it,  why  so  dreadful  a  penalty  should  be  threat- 
ened and  executed ;  and  this  necessity  must  lie  in 
the  fundamental  principles  of  God's  moral  govern- 
ment, and  must  rest  on  foundations  as  immovable  as 
the  throne  of  God.  What  the  grounds  of  this  ne- 
cessity are,  the  author  endeavors  to  show. 

And  it  may  be  said  respecting  all  the  apparent 
difficulties  which  environ  the  Divine  administration, 
that  they  are  only  apparent,  and  that  back  of  them 
lie  satisfactory  explanations  of  each  and  all.  Behind 
the  dark  cloud  the  sun  is  still  shining,  and  to  the 
view  of  Him  who  ' '  sitteth  upon  the  circle  of  the 
earth,"  the  universe  is  moving  in  majestic  har- 
mony. 

Now  if  an  explanation  of  all  apparent  difficulties 
really  exists,  should  we  not  endeavor  to  find  it  ?    Is 
it  not  the  grandest  employment  of  life  to  study  the 
mysteries  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and,  like  the  an 
gels,  ' '  desire  to  look  into  thern?5^' 

"Not  that  we  can  hope  to  escape  mystery,  for  this 
is  everywhere,  and  God  himself  the  profoundest 
mystery  of  all. 


INTRODUCTION.  XVii 

But  mystery  is  not  inconsistency ;  and  inconsis- 
tency, in  the  Divine  order,  is  nowhere  ;  while  many 
of  our  theological  systems  are  burdened  with  in- 
consistencies ;  and  one  of  the  prominent  designs  of 
this  book  is  to  get  rid  of  them,  and  develop  a  consis- 
tent theological  system. 

The  most  dreadful  error  that  is  pervading  the 
churches  at  the  present  time,  is  the  doctrine  of  Uni- 
versalism,  assailing,  as  it  does,  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples of  the  Divine  government  over  the  universe  ; 
and  on  this  doctrine  the  great  theological  contest  of 
the  future  is  yet  to  be  fought.  And  the  controversy 
will  all  turn  on  this  matter  of  $in — its  orgin,  nature, 
and  relation  to  God^sKingdom.  If  these  can  be 
satisfactorily  explained,  then  will  by  far  the  greater 
part  of  the  theological  difficulties  that  now  confront 
us,  have  also  a  satisfactory  explanation,  and  the  en- 
tire system  unfold  itself  to  our  view  even  as  it  lies 
in  the  mind  of  the  Almighty,  harmonious,  benevo- 
lent and  grand. 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  SIN 


.      CHAPTER   I. 
OUR  PRESENT  POSITION  IN  THE  UNIVERSE. 

WE  anticipate  for  the  moral  system  a  grand  and 
glorious  outcome.  But  when  and  where  and  how 
is  the  expectation  to  be  realized  ?  Things  now  look 
sad  and  gloomy,  and  have  for  six  thousand  years. 
Sin  has  prevailed  and  not  holiness,  suffering: s^A  not 
happiness,  and  but  for  the  Bible  promise  of  better- 
ment, we  should  sink  in  despair. 

But  the  promise  is  that  the  great  Redeemer  ' '  shall 
see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied ' ' 
(Is.  liii :  n),  i.  ?.,  He  is  to  have  an  adequate  com- 
pensation for  all  His  mighty  sufferings.  But  where 
is  He  to  find  the  satisfaction  ?  Certainly  not  here 
and  now,  for  this  world  is  a  moralwreck. 

Moreover,  all  the  results  of  tEe  atonement  in  this 
world  are  necessarily  finite,  while  the  atonement  is 
an  infinite  provision — the  mightiest  possible  work  of 
Omnipotence  ;  and  no  results  of  it  in  this  world 
merely  can  correspond  with  it  in  magnitude  and  pre- 
ciousiiess.  Where  then  is  the  great  Redeemer  to 
find  His  satisfaction  ?  Revelation  has  not  told  us, 
but  perhaps  in  that  "new  heaven  and  that  new 
earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  (2  Pet. 
Hi:  13-) 

19 


20  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

If  so,  then  this  world  must  be  only  the  stepping- 
stone  to  the  future  one,  to  which,  however,  as  a  re- 
deemed world,  it  doubtless  sustains  vital  and  funda- 
mental relations.  What  are  those  relations  ?  What 
is  our  position  in  the  universe  of  worlds  ?  Are  we 
looking  out  upon  a  peopled  universe,  or  are  we 
among  they?r^/  of  created  beings  ? 

It  is  by  no  means  unimportant  which  of  these  two 
views  shall  be  entertained.  Take,  for  example,  the 
fact  of  sin,  and  God's  dealings  with  it  here  in  this 
world. 

If  the  universe  be  peopled,  then  God's  dealings 
with  the  sin  of  this  world  in  the  way  of  judgment 
and  mercy  would  apparently  affect  but  slightly  these 
peopled  worlds.  But  assume  the  infancy  of  the 
moral  system,  ad  that  the  universe  of  worlds  is  yet 
to  be  peopled,  and  then  the  dealings  of  God  with  this 
world  of  sinners  may  be  creating  those  peculiar  mo- 
tives and  influences  which  will  reach  and  affect  all 
newly  created  beings  hereafter  and  forever. 

So  of  the  atonement.  If  it  is  to  be  limited  in  its 
influences  mainly  to  this  world,  and  there  are  no 
ages  and  races  hereafter  to  be  reached  and  affected 
by  it,  so  that  human  salvation  is  its  main  object, 
this  is  one  view. 

But  suppose  the  mora.  system  to  be  in  its  infancy, 
and  the  relations  of  the  atonement  to  it  to  be  funda- 
mental, so  that  all  holy  beings  in  all  worlds  forever, 
as  these  worlds  shall  be  successively  peopled,  will 
owe  to  the  exhibition  of  God's  love  and  mercy  in 
redemption,  their  confirmation  in  holiness ;  thus 
making  the  atonement  through  Jesus  Christ  to  lie 


OUR    PRESENT    POSITION    IN    THE    UNIVERSE.        21 

at  the  foundation  of  the  entire  happiness  of  the  uni- 
verse through  eternal  ages — for  it  is  "  in  the  ages  to 
come ' '  that  He  will  ' '  show  the  exceeding  riches  of 
His  grace  "  (Eph.  ii :  7),  this  is  quite  another  view. 
This  makes  redemption  the  great  central  fadl  of  the 
universe.  This  makes  all  that  it  will  accomplish  in 
this  world,  only  the  beginning  of  its  endless  and  in- 
creasing glories  ;  so  that  in  other  worlds,  and  amid 
other  scenes,  and  other  races  of  moral  beings,  is  to 
be  found  the  culmination  of  its  great  design.  Hard- 
ly though  its  culmination,  for,  in  this  view,  it  is  to 
have  none,  but  to  go  on  in  a  career  of  increasing  glory 
and  blessedness  forevermore  ;  and  which  of  these 
two  views  shall  be  entertained,  becomes  a  matter  of 
transcendent  importance. 

Our  view  is  that  God  is  just  now  laying  the  foun- 
dations of  an  endless  moral  universe  ;  and  that  when 
these  foundations  have  been  laid  securely,  then  the 
peopling  of  the  material  universe  will  go  on  through 
all  the  ages  ;  so  that  the  ultimate  design  which  God 
has  in  view  is  a  moral  universe  expanding  in  glory 
and  blessedness  forevermore.  The  point,  therefore, 
now  to  be  established  is  vital  and  fundamental,  viz., 

SEC  .    i  —  The  Infancy  of  the  Moral  System . 

The  question  is,  Has  the  peopling  of  the  worlds 
been  going  on  for  ages,  or  are  the  angels  fallen  and 
unfallen,  and  the  human  race,  the  only  moral  beings 
as  yet  created,  the  pioneers  of  an  endless  moral  uni- 
verse that  is  yet  to  be?  We  assume  the  present  in- 
fancy of  the  moral  system  for  the  following  reasons: 

i .  There  is  no  evidence  from  the  Bible  that  other 
worlds  are  peopled.  The  Bible  mentions  no  other 


22  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

moral  beings  than  the  angels — fallen  and  unfallen — 
and  the  human  race  ;  so  that  to  assume  the  existence 
of  others  is  to  go  just  so  far  beyond  the  divine  record. 
Two  passages  only  may  seem  to  require  considera- 
tion. 

Job  xxxviii :  4,  7  :  "  Where  wast  thou  when  I 
laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  .  .  .  when  the 
morning  stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God 
shouted  for  joy  ?  ' '  Who  were  these  ' '  sons  of  God  ?  ' ' 
We  may  suppose  them  to  have  been  the  fallen  angels 
in  the  days  of  their  innocence,  when  they  may  have 
been  the  only  created  beings,  and,  like  Adam  in  the 
garden  previous  to  his  fall,  were  studying  the  char- 
acter of  God  through  his  works,  and  coming,  in  this 
way,  to  a  knowledge  of  God  and  duty,  and  reaching 
the  point  of  intelligent  responsibility.  As  the  first 
of  created  beings,  they  would  need  the  evidence  that 
God  was  the  wise,  powerful,  and  benevolent  Creator 
of  themselves  and  the  universe.  And  very  likely 
God  gave  them  the  evidence  of  this  in  the  beautiful, 
harmonious,  and  impressive  adjustment  of  this 
world,  which  was  originally  fitted  up,  perchance,  for 
their  own  residence  ;  for  there  are  a  few  expressions 
in  the  Bible  which  seem  to  indicate  that  this  world 
has  been  their  only  habitation,  and  that  they  had 
their  probation  on  this  planet. 

Suppose  this  passage  to  allude  to  them,  how  ap- 
propriate the  appellation  to  them  of  ' '  the  morning 
stars" — the  first  of  created  beings,  rejoicing  in  the 
spring-time  of  their  conscious  being,  admiring  the 
works  of  God  and  pouring  forth  to  him  their  songs 
of  praise! 


OUR    PRESENT    POSITION    IN    THE    UNIVERSE.        23 

Another  passage  is  Genesis  iii  :  24:  "  He  placed 
at  the  east  of  the  garden  of  Eden  cherubims"  An 
elaborate  article  on  the  cherubim  of  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures by  Rev.  Albert  Barnes,  will  be  found  in  Vol. 
VIII.,  p.  386,  of  the  Quarterly  Christian  Spectator, 
in  which  the  writer  comes  to  the  following  con- 
clusion : 

"  They  were  not  angels.  They  are  never  spoken  of  as 
such.  Nor  are  they  represented  either  as  angels,  or  as 
designed  to  represent  real  forms  of  life.  The  idea  of  an 
angel,  therefore,  at  the  entrance  of  the  Garden  of  Eden,  is 
the  idea  of  a  philosophy,  or  the  notion  of  the  nursery,  and 
without  any  foundation  in  the  Scriptures." 

2.  There  is  no  evidence  from  reason  that  other 
worlds  are  peopled. 

As  to  theyfa^d?  stars,  as  Chalmers  says,  ' '  these 
orbs  have  sent  us  scarce  another  message  than  told 
by  their  feeble  glimmering  upon  the  eye — the  simple 
fact  of  their  existence. ' '  And  since  his  day  the  solar 
spectrum  has  revealed  to  us  physical  elements  in 
their  constitution  identical  with  those  of  our  planet. 
But  this  is  all. 

As  to  iheptanets,  the  fact  of  their  annual  and  diur- 
nal revolution,  like  our  earth,  their  retinue  of  re- 
volving satellites,  their  envelopment  in  an  atmos- 
phere, and  any  other  facts  which  liken  them  to  our 
earth,  and  which  might,  therefore,  be  supposed  to 
indicate  abodes  of  intelligence,  are  all  equally  well 
accounted  for  on  the  assumption  that  they  are  yet  to 
be  peopled. 

The  author  of  the  "  Plurality  of  Worlds"  has  also 
shown  conclusively  that  not  a  single  fact  of  astro- 


24  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

nomical  science  looks  at  all  in  the  direction  of  a  peo- 
pled universe  ;  and  even  beyond  this,  that  all  the 
facts  of  astronomy  point  to  this  as  the  only  peopled 
world. 

3.  There  are  serious  objections  to  the  assumption 
of  a  peopled  universe. 

If peopled,  then  these  races  of  moral  beings  are 
either  in  obedience  to  God  or  in  rebellion  against  Him . 
If  in  rebellion,  then  where  is  the  benevolence  of 
creating  a  moral  system  whose  universal  rebellion 
must  have  been  distinctly  foreseen  ? 

If  in  allegiance,  then  why  is  our  world  in  rebel- 
lion? Could  a  vast  universe  be  kept  in  subjection, 
and  yet  must  a  single  insignificant  world  like  ours 
defy  the  Almighty  ?  In  that  case  the  resources  of 
the  Creator  have  availed  for  securing  the  obedience 
of  innumerable  worlds  of  beings  ;  why  should  they 
fail  here?  Or,  reversing  the  argument,  if  rebellion 
has  broken  out  here,  why  not  there  ?  And  human 
reason  furnishes  no  answer. 

Also,  if  the  universe  of  worlds  be  peopled,  then  have 
we  apparently  drifted  in  upon  the  great  current  of 
being  at  some  indefinite  period,  and  should  occupy, 
in  the  universe,  no  position  of  peculiar  significance. 
And  how  then  can  the  mighty  plan  of  redemption 
in  this  world  be  accounted  for,  and  the  incontrover- 
tible evidence  from  the  fact  that  Christ  died  to  re- 
deem it,  that  it  occupies  one  of  the  most  prominent 
and  important  positions  in  the  whole  universe  of 
God? 

Furthermore,  if  our  position  in  the  universe  be  one 
of  insignificance,  as  to  all  appearances  it  must  be  if 


OUR    PRESENT    POSITION    IN    THE    UNIVERSE.       25 

we  are  but  a  single  world  among  the  infinitude  of 
peopled  worlds,  how  comes  there  such  a  mighty  con- 
test for  it  among  invisible  powers  ?  Why,  for  ex- 
ample, does  the  interest  and  sympathy  of  all  heaven 
center  on  it,  so  that  the  conversion  of  a  single  sinner 
is  welcomed  "with  acclamations  of  joy  ?  And  why 
are  malignant  beings — the  devil  and  his  angels — all 
leagued  together  for  its  destruction  ?  And  to  these 
objections  there  is  no  conceivable  answer. 

4.  There  are  no  valid  objections  to  the  assumption 
that  the  present  is  the  dawning-time  of  the  moral 
creation. 

For  there  must  have  been  a  beginning;  and  what- 
ever point  in  duration  be  assumed  for  it,  however 
remote,  will  still  have  an  eternity  preceding  ;  so  that 
nothing  is  gained  by  assuming  for  it  an  earlier  pe- 
riod than  the  present. 

Also  no  other  supposition  can  be  less  objectionable. 
For  whatever  point  in  past  ages  be  assumed  for  the 
commencement  of  the  moral  universe,  will  still  have 
all  the  objections  lying  against  it  which  may  appear 
to  lie  against  the  supposition  of  its  present  infancy. 

Neither  is  the  existence  of  a  vast  number  of  un- 
inhabited worlds,  which  the  assumption  involves,  any 
objection  to  it ;  because  in  a  progressive  system  like 
ours  we  should  naturally  expect  the  prior  creation  of 
the  material  universe,  at  least  in  part — matter  before 
mind.  In  human  affairs,  common-sense  builds  a 
house  before  introducing  the  inmates.  Why  should 
not  God  build  the  material  universe,  in  part,  at  least, 
before  peopling  it  ? 

Neither  can  it  be  objected  that  this  hypothesis 


26  THE   ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

gives  our  insignificant  world  too  great  importance  and 
prominence  as  compared  with  the  universe  of  worlds  ; 
for  no  greater  prominence  is  thus  given  to  it  physi- 
cally than  God  has  given  it  morally  by  making  it  the 
theater  of  Redemption. 

Is  it  objected  that  such  an  assumption  involves  an 
eternity  of  inaction  on  the  part  of  the  Almighty  ? 
We  do  not  know  this  ;  and  all  speculation  about  the 
eternity  of  God's  existence,  and  what  He  may  have 
been  or  done  in  these  past,  eternal  ages,  is  beyond 
the  grasp  of  our  finite  minds.  We  can  only  say  that 
the  material  universe  had  a  beginning,  and  wherever 
that  beginning  is  located,  there  must  have  been  an 
eternity  preceding  it,  and  there  we  must  stop. 

Shall  we  attempt  to  escape  the  difficulty  by  as- 
suming the  eternity  of  the  -material  system  ?  Un- 
doubtedly our  finite  minds  can  as  readily  compre- 
hend the  eternity  of  matter  as  of  mind  ;  but  to  as- 
sume the  eternity  of  matter  is  both  unscriptural  and 
unphilosophical . 

First — It  is  unscriptural. 

The  Scriptures  plainly  teach  the  creation  of  ma- 
terial things  by  the  power  of  God.  It  is  the  first 
truth  declared  in  the  Bible  (Gen.  i :  i) :  "In  the  be- 
ginning God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth." 
The  same  truth  is  taught  in  Hebrews  i :  10  :  "  And 
thou,  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the  foundation 
of  the  earth  ;  and  the  heavens  are  the  works  of  thine 
hands. ' '  Says  John  in  his  Gospel  (i  :  3) :  "  All 
things  were  made  by  Him."  And  Paul  in  Col.  i  : 
1 6,  17  is  still  more  explicit:  "By  Him  were  all 
things  created  that  are  in  heaven  and  that  are  in 


OUR    PRESENT    POSITION    IN    THE    UNIVERSE.        27 

earth  ;  all  things  were  created  by  Him,  and  for  Him. 
And  He  is  before  all  things,  and  by  Him  all  things 
consist." 

Secondly — The  assumption  is  unphilosophical. 

Reason  teaches  at  this  point  the  same  as  the  Bible. 
For  if  matter  be  eternal  it  must  be  self-existent, 
and  therefore  independent.  If  independent,  it 
would  admit  of  no  change,  either  in  kind  or  degree. 
But  the  visible  and  material  universe  is  ever  chang- 
ing, proving  thus  its  dependence  upon  higher  forces, 
and  is,  therefore,  not  eternal. 

We  accept  the  statement,  therefore,  that  ' '  in  the 
beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth," 
not  because  we  can  comprehend  it,  but  solely  on  the 
authority  of  the  Divine  Record.  An  eternity  past 
or  to  come,  is  altogether  beyond  the  comprehension 
of  our  finite  faculties;  and  our  most  becoming  posi- 
tion is  in  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Revelation,  and  say- 
ing with  the  reverent  Psalmist,  ' '  I  will  hear  what 
God  the  Lord  will  speak;"  and  when  the  declaration 
is  clear  and  unequivocal  that  God  is  '  ''from  everlast- 
ing to  everlasting, ' '  and  that  ' '  He  is  before  all  things, 
and  by  Him  all  things  consist, ' '  accept  it  as  authorita- 
tive, even  though  it  be  to  us  a  profound  and  inex- 
plicable mystery. 

5.  All  the  facts  and  intimations  of  the  Bible  point 
decidedly  to  the  present  as  the  commencement  of  the 
moral  system. 

First — The  Bible  gives  no  intimation  that  other 
worlds  are  peopled.  It  mentions  the  creation  of  the 
"•  worlds"  by  Jesus  Christ,  but  makes  no  mention 
of  their  inhabitants. 


28  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Secondly — We  find  the  attention  of  all  the  angels 
of  heaven  centered  on  this  world.  Says  the  apostle : 
' '  Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to 
minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation  ?  ' ' 
(Heb.  i  :  14).  All  the  angels  of  heaven,  then,  are 
employed  in  earthly  ministrations.  They  may  be 
employed  thus  in  other  worlds,  but  there  is  not  the 
slightest  intimation  of  it;  while  here  we  know  they 
are  all  interested — so  much  so  that  ' '  there  is  joy  in 
heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth." 

Thirdly — The  energies  of  hell  are  also  expended 
upon  this  world.  Satan  is  here,  the  ' '  prince  of  the 
aerial  host,"  tempting  men,  "working  in  the  chil- 
dren of  disobedience,"  and  driving  with  fiendish 
hate  his  schemes  of  mischief.  Here  also  are  a  great 
multitude,  if  not  all,  who  lost  with  him  ' '  their  first 
estate. ' '  They  may  be  prosecuting  a  similar  work 
of  temptation  elsewhere,  but  we  have  no  intimation 
of  it;  and  for  aught  that  appears  to  the  contrary, 
they  are  all  here  in  this  world.  This  record  of  the 
angels,  therefore,  so  far  as  it  goes,  looks  strongly  in 
the  direction  of  this  as  the  only  peopled  world. 

Fourthly — All  the  representations  of  the  Bible 
respecting  the  plan  of  redemption,  make  its  posi- 
tion in  the  universe  to  be  fundamental.  It  is  the 
only  sacrifice  for  sin — the  first  and  final  illustration 
to  the  universe  of  God's  mercy  to  the  sinful;  for, 
says  the  apostle,  "  He  died  unto  sin  once"  and  "be- 
ing raised  from  the  dead,  dieth  no  more; ' '  and 
' '  when  He  had  by  Himself  purged  our  sins,  sat  down 
on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high  "  (Heb. 
vi :  3);  or,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it  another  place, 


OUR    PRESENT    POSITION    IN    THE    UNIVERSE.        29 

"  After  He  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sin,  forever 
sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God  "  (Heb.  x  :  12), 
as  if  He  had  now  laid  the  foundation  for  the  great 
work  of  eternity,  and  that  all  the  after  ages  were  to 
be  only  for  its  eternal  unfolding. 

Furthermore,  we  learn  that  all  through  the  coming 
ages  the  moral  splendors  of  God's  character  are  to 
find  their  most  vivid  illustration  in  the  works  and 
wonders  of  redemption — ' '  That  in  the  ages  to  come 
He  might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace  in 
his  kindness  towards  us  through  Christ  Jesus." 
(Eph.  ii:7.) 

And  again,  the  declaration  is,  that  "  the  whole 
family  in  heaven  and  earth  are  named  for  Christ. ' ' 
(Eph.  iii  :  15.) 

Once  more,  the  atonement  stands  so  related  to 
the  universe  that  ' '  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which 
are  in  heaven  and  which  are  on  earth,  shall  be  gath- 
ered together  in  one,  even  in  Him  "  (Eph.  i  :  10)  ; 
and  ' '  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow 
in  heaven  and  in  earth,  and  every  tongue  should 
confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord  to  the  glory  of  God 
the  Father."  (Phil,  ii  :  10,  n.)  We  may  indeed 
very  imperfectly  comprehend  the  meaning  of  these 
wonderful  declarations,  yet  the  most  natural  as- 
sumption is  that,  in  some  way,  the  Great  Savior  is 
the  "  Chief  Corner  Stone" — the  grand  foundation, 
not  merely  of  this  earthly  dispensation,  but  of  the 
entire  economy  of  the  universe.  And  besides,  this 
infinite  expansion  of  the  wonders  and  glories  of  re- 
demption, is  a  delightful  anticipation,  and  one 
which  we  all  as  Christians  earnestly  crave.  Plainly, 


30  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

therefore,  these  various  relations  of  the  atonement 
indicate  its  position  in  the  universe  to  be  funda- 
mental. 

If,  therefore,  any  belief  is  to  be  entertained  re- 
specting the  period  when  the  moral  system  was  en- 
tered on,  its  present  infancy  is  the  most  rational, 
and  is  the  only  view  in  perfect  harmony  with  the 
foregoing  facts  and  intimations  of  the  Bible. 

SEC.  2. — The  Future    Universe. 

If  then  the  present  to  be  the  infancy  of  the  moral 
system,  then  are  we  to  all  appearance  facing  a  uni- 
verse boundless  in  extent,  endless  in  duration  and 
limitless  in  expansion. 

First — We  consider  its  vastness.  It  is  not  bounded 
by  this  world.  It  extends  beyond  this  compara- 
tively diminutive  planet  to  myriads  of  other  worlds. 
It  embraces  the  countless  systems  which  only  the 
telescope  reveals — even  an  infinitude  of  worlds  and 
suns  and  systems,  to  which  no  power  either  of  the 
eye  or  of  the  telescope  has  yet  carried  us.  True, 
they  may  not  yet  be  peopled,  they  may  not  be  ready 
as  yet  for  the  occupancy  of  moral  beings,  but  they 
are  all  doubtless  to  be  peopled  with  free  moral  intel- 
ligences, amenable  to  the  same  laws  with  ourselves, 
comprehended  in  the  same  administration,  and  con- 
stituting together  one  grand  empire. 

Second — But  this  is  not  enough.  We  are  to 
think  of  it  also  as  an  endless  universe.  We  have  no 
evidence  that  a  particle  of  matter  has  ever  been  an- 
nihilated, or  ever  will  be.  We  have  no  evidence 
that  a  single  mind  once  created  will  ever  cease  to 


OUR    PRESENT    POSITION    IN    THE    UNIVERSE.        3! 

exist.  We  can,  therefore,  affix  no  limit  to  the  dura- 
tion of  the  universe,  and  it  appears  to  be  stretching 
on  and  on  to  eternal  ages.  To  all  appearance,  God 
is  building  an  endless  universe. 

Third — And  this  is  not  enough.  We  see  mil- 
lions of  new  minds  coming  yearly  into  existence, 
and  each  and  all  immortal.  Hence  the  universe 
appears  to  be  expanding  endlessly.  For  we  see  no 
reason  why  the  same  Power  which  has  laid  the 
foundations  of  so  vast  an  empire,  and  proceeded 
thus  far  with  its  development,  should  not  advance 
still  farther,  and  find  hereafter  the  same  reason  for 
exertion  which  it  has  thus  far  found;  nor  why,  in- 
deed, its  exertion  should  ever  cease;  why  God,  who 
has  begun  to  create,  should  ever  cease  creating. 
Space  and  duration  are  both  apparently  limitless, 
and,  therefore,  no  reason  appears  why  Omnipotent 
energy  should  ever  diminish  its  activity.  And 
should  it  not,  then  will  the  time  come  when  the 
mass  of  beings  now  in  existence  will  be  but  the 
"small  dust  of  the  balance,"  compared  with  its 
magnitude  in  the  coming  ages.  And  so  at  this 
point  we  face  not  only  an  eternal,  but  an  eternally 
expanding  universe  of  moral  beings — endless  in 
duration,  boundless  in  enlargement. 

Is  it  said  that  this  endlessness  of  creation  is  in- 
capable of  demonstration?  This  is  granted,  while 
still  this  position  is  assumed  to  be  undeniably  true. 
By  this  is  meant  that  there  is  much  in  favor  of  the 
position,  and  with  no  counteracting  evidence. 

We  assume,  therefore,  that  this  is  our  present 
standpoint  of  observation — That  we  are  looking  out 


32  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

upon  the  dawning-time  of  the  moral  creation;  that 
the  work  of  peopling  this  material  universe  has  but 
just  commenced;  that  the  Power  which  has  begun 
to  create  free  minds  will  never  cease  its  activity,  so 
that  the  peopling  of  worlds  on  worlds  with  moral 
intelligences  will  be  the  ceaseless  work  of  the  un- 
ending future;  and  therefore  that  God  is  now  laying 
the  foundation-stones  of  that  vast  moral  structure 
which,  in  the  coming  ages  of  eternity,  will  be  mag- 
nificent beyond  conception. 

And  here  the  mind  pauses  a  moment  to  consider 
what  stupendous  foundations  of  government  must  be 
laid  adequately  to  sustain  such  a  superstructure. 
And  the  thought  arises  also — How  grandly  and 
truthfully  this  mighty  moral  system  harmonizes 
with  the  declaration  of  the  Almighty  :  "As  the 
heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  My  ways 
higher  than  your  ways,  and  My  thoughts  than  your 
thoughts."  (Is.  Iv  :  9.)  And  now,  if  any  of  God's 
"  ways,"  as  we  are  about  to  consider  them,  should 
appear  too  high  and  dizzy  and  dreadful  for  our  finite 
gaze,  especially  if  the  foundations  of  law  and  pen- 
alty should  appear  unnecessarily  massive,  should 
appear  even  to  be  infinite  foundations,  the  solution 
of  the  matter  may  be  found  in  this — that  God  is 
building  so  vast  a  universe,  and  laying  the  founda- 
tions of  a  government  over  it  that  must  stand  the 
strain  of  eternity. 


CHAPTER   II. 

MORAL  EVIL  IN  ITS  ORIGIN  AND  CHARACTERIS- 
TICS. 

/.   Origin  of  Sin. 

SEC.  i . —  Who  were  the  First  Sinful  Beings  ? 
We  know  neither  from  reason  nor  revelation  of  more 
than  three  orders  of  moral  beings — the  angels  fallen 
and  unfallen,  and  the  human  race.  To  assume  the 
existence  of  others,  therefore,  is  to  go  just  so  far  be- 
yond the  record ;  and  as  the  fallen  angels  are  first 
mentioned  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  therefore,  in  the 
absence  of  all  opposing  evidence,  we  assume  them  to 
have  been  the  first  moral  beings  created,  and  theyfr^/ 
sinners. 

SEC.   2. —  The  Occasion  of  Sin. 

It  is  evident  that  no  good  reason  for  sin  can  be 
given  ;  for  then  it  would  not  be  sin;  and  poor  ones 
are  worthless. 

Also,  if  any  explanation  of  the  origin  of  sin  should 
be  given  which  would  amount  to  a  good  reason  for  it, 
then  the  sinner  could  make  good  answer  for  it  at  the 
day  of  final  judgment. 

The  most,  therefore,  that  can  be  done  in  this  direc- 
tion is  to  suggest  an  occasion  of  sin  ;  yet  such  an  oc- 
casion, that  the  resulting  sinshall  appear  wilful  and 
inexcusable. 

The  view  is  not  unfrequently  entertained  that  a 

33 


34  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

pure  and  perfect  being  would  obey  God  as  a  matter 
of  course,  and  that  submission  to  His  will  on  the  part 
of  such  a  one  would  require  no  self-denial.  Our 
leading  theologians  are  accustomed  to  speak  of 
Adam  in  the  garden  as  one  whose  only  inclination 
was  to  obedience.  Dr.  Bushnell  speaks  of  him  as 
' '  spontaneous  to  good. ' ' 

But  were  this  true,  the  first  sin  would  have  been 
impossible.  If  submission  to  God  were  entirely  an 
easy  matter,  then  submission  would  have  been  always 
rendered,  and  the  first  sin  becomes,  if  not  exactly 
impossible — for  that  expression  would  seem  to  con- 
flict with  free  agency — yet  as  certain  not  to  be  com- 
mitted as  if  it  were. 

In  accounting  for  the  existence  of  sin,  it  is  custom- 
ary to  trace  the  sinfulness  of  the  human  race  to  an 
organic  connection  with  sinful  Adam  ;  and  then  to 
trace  his  sin  to  the  temptation  of  the  devil.  But 
how  is  the  sin  of  the  devil  to  be  accounted  for? 
Where  did  his  sm  originate  ? 

We  face  here  the  prime  difficulty  in  theology.  The 
reason  or  occasion  for  the  commission  of  the  first 
sin* 

*  For  the  most  part  our  theological  writers  regard  the  origin  of  sin 
as  inexplicable,  or  else  trace  its  origin  to  causes  or  occasions  which  rob 
it  of  blameworthiness. 

Says  ARCHBISHOP  WHATELY,  "  The  existence  of  evil  is  a  mystery  we 
can  not  explain." 

DR.  BUSHNELL  calls  it  "  The  night  side  of  the  creation." 

Says  DR.  JOHN  WATSON  (Ian  Maclaren),  "Among  all  the  problems 
upon  which  the  human  intellect  has  tried  its  teeth,  the  origin  of  evil  is 
the  most  useless  and  hopeless,  the  most  fascinating  and  maddening." 

Says  DR.  BUSHNELL  again  in  another  connection,  "  Sin  can  nowise  be 
accounted  for  ;  there  are  no  positive  grounds  or  principles  back  of  it 
whence  it  may  have  come"  ("Nature  and  the  Supernatural,"  p.  128). 
But  he  says  on  p.  1 14,  "  There  must  be  positive  impulses  to  be  governed, 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  35 

Here  notice,  it  must  have  been  committed  under 
the  three  following  conditions  : 

i  .  Those  who  committed  it  came  directly  from  the 
hand  of  God,  and  were,  therefore,  pure  and  perfect 
in  their  original  constitution. 

2.  They  must  have  been  placed  in  the  best  pos- 
sible circumstances  —  the  best  surroundings  for  the  de- 
velopment  of  a  holy  character.      We  argue  both 
these  points  from  the  assumed  benevolence  of  God. 

3.  They  encountered  no  temptation  from  malig- 
nant beings  ;  for  there  were  no  unholy  beings  to 
present  it.     Hence  their  position  was  in  all  respects 
the  best  calculated  to  result  in  holiness.  . 

The  vital  point  is  thus  demonstrated  that  an  occa-N 
j?ion  of  sin  must  exist  in  a  pure  and  perfect  being  I 
placed  in  ihejrest  possible  circumstances.  What  couldy 
it  have  been  ? 

This  leads  us  to  consider  the  occasion  o  sin. 


The  word  occasion  is  here  used  with  carefulness 
and  precision,  as  being  entirely  distinct  from  the  effi- 
cient cause.  For  example  :  the  occasion  of  gluttony 
is  the  natural  appetite  for  food  ;  but  because  that 
between  this  occasion  and  the  gluttony  there  comes 
in  the  free,  moral,  and  responsible  being,  under  ob- 
ligation to  keep  all  his  inclinations  in  due  subordina- 


or  else  there  could  not  be  a  man/'  But  he  does  not  indicate  what  those 
"positive"  impulses  are,  and  states  only  a  negative  one,  viz.,  "  a  condi- 
tion privative." 

DR.  VEB.XON,  in  his  recent  work  "  Probation  and  Punishment,"  says 
: '  Sin  rises  out  of  a  sinful  propensity,"  thus  making  sin  before  sin.     \. 

The  Evolutionists  trace  sin  to  the  animal  nature  which  "man  has\ 
brought  up  with  him  "  from  the  brute  creation  from  which  he  sprang,  j 
This  makes  sin  unavoidable  and,  therefore,  excusable,  and,  therefore,  / 
not  the  sin  with  which  the  Bible  deals. 


36  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

tion  to  the  higher  dictates  of  reason  and  judgment 
therefore  does  he  himself  become  the  efficient  cause  of 
the  sinful  gluttony.  For  the  occasion  lie  ^Ts  in  no 
way  responsible,  while  he  shoulders  the  entire  bur- 
den of  responsibility  for  the  sinful  gluttony.  So  the 
effirignt  cause  of  sin  can  only  be  the  moral  being 
himself  who  commits  it ;  and  the  question  now  is, 
How  comes  it  that  a  being  made  in  the  image  of 
God,  and  pure  and  perfect  in  his  original  constitu- 
tion ,  becomes  \h&_efficient  cause  of  sin  ? 

i.  The  explanation  of  the  Apostle  in  James  i :  14, 
1 5  is  that  the  sinfulness  of  men — of  ' '  every  man  ' ' 
— originates  in  inn^gfent  constitutional  propensity: 
"Every  man  is  tempted,  whenTne  is  drawn  away' of 
his  own  lust,  and  enticed.  Then  when  lust  hath 
conceived,  it  bringeth  forth  sin  ;  and  sin,  when  it  is 
finished,  bringeth  forth  death. ' ' 

Let  this  statement  be  carefully  analyzed" : 

(1)  The  word  lust,  in  this  immediate  connection, 
is  not  a  happy  translation  of  the  original,  being  al- 
most invariably  used  in  a  bad  sense ;  whereas  the 
original  word  may  mean  only  innocent  desire,  being 
the  same  word  used  by  Paul  when  he  says,  ' '  Hav- 
ing a  desire  to  depart,  and  be  with  Christ"  (Phil, 
i  :  23),  also  in  I.  Thes.  ii :  17,  the  same  word  is 
translated  ' '  with  great  desire, ' '  and  our  Savior  uses 
the  same  word  when  he  says,  "  With  desire  I  have 
desired  to  eat  this  passover  with  you  "  (L,uke  xxii  : 
15).      That  this  is  the  proper  translation  here,  is 
evident  from  what  follows. 

(2)  It  is  ' '  his  own  lust ' '  or  desire  or  inclination — 
that  is,  it  originates  in  himself ;  so  that  the  external 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  37 

influences,  whatever  they  may  be — whether  the  devil 
or  wicked  men  or  circumstances — only  stir  up  a 
something  that  was  all  the  while  in  him — "  his  own 
lust ' ' — something  that  belongs  to  him,  and  was  in 
him  before  he  was  tempted.  Another  thing: 

(3)  It  is  a  something  that  is  innocent.     It  comes 
in  before  the  sin — it  ' '  bring  eth  forth  ' '  the  sin  ;  so 
that  the  sin  comes  in  after  it.    Therefore  this  ' '  lust, ' ' 
this  occasion  of  sin,  can  not  be  itself  sinful,  being 
something  before  sin,  and  must  be  innocent  constitu- 
tional propensity  of  some  kind,  lying  back  of  volun- 
tary action,  and  being,  therefore,  destitute  of  moral 
character — a  mere  constitutional  element.     There- 
fore 

(4)  It  is  not  at  all  of  the  nature  of  depravity,  nor 
does  it  imply  any  defect  in  the  original  constitution, 
and  is  consistent  with  perfect  innocence  and  even 
holiness.     Christ  was  ' '  made  in  all  things  like  unto 
His  brethren,"  and  "tempted  in  all  points  like  as 
they  are."     (Heb.  ii  :  17  ;  iv  :  15.) 

Therefore  being  tempted  precisely  as  we  are,  He 
must  have  been  ' '  drawn  away  of  his  own  lust  and 
enticed, ' '  just  as  we  are  ;  and  if  that  involved  no  sin 
in  Him,  then  it  does  not  in  us,  and  the  lust  is  int 
cent.  Furthermore  : 

(5)  No  matter  how  severe  or  even  fierce    the 
' '  lust ' '  or  desire  may  be  by  which  the  man  is  drawn 
away,"  if  he  resists  the  inclination,  and  no  consent 
of  the  will  follows,  there  is  no  sin,  only  temptation; 
and  which,  if  resisted,  results  in  virtue — "'Blessed 
is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation."  (Jam.  i  :  12.) 

No  matter  how~strong" the^Eeniptation  in  Eden 


38  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

may  have  been,  nor  how  intense  the  desire  to  par- 
take of  the  fruit,  had  our  first  parents  only  resisted 
the  temptation  of  the  devil,  and  refused  to  partake 
of  it,  there  would  have  been  no  sin  committed,  and 
the  probability  is  that  they  would  bogfr  confirmed  by 
this  resistance  in  eternal  obedience  to  God.  The 
occasion  of  sin  must  therefore  be  innocent  constitutional 
propensity* 

2.  What  is  this  innocent,  constitutional  propen- 
sity— this  ' '  lust, ' '  as  the  Apostle  terms  it  ?  It  ap- 
pears to  be  the  love  of  conscious  freedom  in  a  free, 
moral  agent — a  consciousness  of  freedom,  and  a  de- 
sire to  exercise  it.  Thus — 

(i)  A  moral  being  is  a.  free  being  because  "  made 
in  the  image  of  God. ' '  If  not  free,  he  would  not  be 
made  in  his  image. 

*  Says  DR.  KNAPP,  in  illustration  of  this  passage,  James  i  :  14,  "The 
rising  desires  which  our  first  parents  felt  to  eat  the  fruit  were  founded 
in  their  nature,  and  were  not  imparted  to  them  as  sin.  Nor  is  the 
springing  up  of  involuntary  desire  in  the  heart  of  man  ever  considered 
in  Scripture  as  sin  ;  but  merely  the  entertaining,  cherishing,  and  ac- 
complishing of  this  desire."  (Christian  Theology,  p.  240.)  And  again 
he  says  in  another  place  :  ' '  The  desires  of  man  are  not  in  themselves 
sinful,  for  they  are  deep  laid  in  the  constitution  which  God  Himself  has 
given  to  human  nature.  They  become  sinful  only  when  man  seeks 
and  finds  pleasure  in  them,  cherishes  them  in  his  heart,  seeks  occasion 
to  awaken  the  desires,  and  seeks  and  performs  the  sins  to  which  he  is 
inclined."  (p.  256,  IV.) 

It  seems  singular  that  having  stated  so  clearly  and  satisfactorily  the 
occasion  of  sin  in  men,  he  should  not  have  gone  a  step  further  and 
traced  all  sin  to  the  same  source— the  gratification  of  natural  desires ; 
and  as  the  constitutional  desire  of  every  free,  moral  agent  is  to  have 
ftjf  yym  way,  to  have  found  in  the  gratification  of  this,  the  occasion  of 
sin  in  all  sinful  beings ;  not  only  in  Adam,  but  also  in  mankind  gener- 
ally, and  in  the  fallen  angels.  Respecting  the  sin  of  the  latter  he  at- 
tempts no  explanafton,  giving  only  a  few  Jewish  notions  respecting  it, 
and  finally  falls  back  on  the  position  that  human  sinfulness  is  derived 
from  Adam.  He  says  "The  universality  of  depravity  depends  on  the 
derivation  of  all  men  from  one  progenitor  or  father."  (p.  255.) 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  39 

(2)  He  must  be  conscious  that  he  is  free.     He  can- 
not be  free  without  being  conscious  of  it. 

(3)  He  must  love  to  exercise  this  freedom  in  the 
way  of  independent  action;  which  means  mainly  that 
he  must  love  to  seek  and  obtain  whatever  pleases 
him — to  seek  his  own  personal  gratification  without 
restraint.      He  can  not  have  this  freedom  without 
loving  to  exercise  it — in  common  language,  without 
loving  to  have  his  own  way.      Nothing,  indeed,  is 
plainer  than  that  he  can  not  but  love  the  objects 
which  minister  to  his  gratification .    He  must  delight 
to  seek  his  enjoyment  in  every  avenue  opened — to 
roam  the  universe  at  will,  taxing  every  object,  every 
scene,  every  employment  affording  satisfaction.    But 

(4)  Can  he  be  safely  allowed  to  have  his  own 
way?  No.  For,  in  that  case,  each  one  acting  out  his 
natural  inclinations,  would  set  up  for  himself,  and 
there  would  be  as  many  independent  wills  as  there 
are  individuals,  each  acting  for  himself,  and  with  no 
paramount  regard  for  the  general  good;   and  the 
resulting  collision,   strife,    discord,    and    suffering 
would  be  uncontrollable  and  dreadful,  and  the  uni- 
verse itself  become  a  moral  wreck;  so  that  the  only 
security  for  the  harmony  and  happiness  of  the  uni- 
verse is  the  submission  of  all  individual  wills  to  the 
one  controlling  will  o£  God.     Therefore, 

(5)  We  see  the  absolute  necessity  that  God  assert 
His  control  over  His  moral  creature,  and  give  him 
His  law  with  its  two  cardinal  requirements — "loving 
God  with  all  his  heart,  and  his  neighbor  as  him- 
self, ' '  as  the  only  security  for  thewelfare  of  the 
universe,  and  enforce  obedience  to  it  with  the  whole 


40  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

weight  of  his  authority;  so  that  this  free  moral  na- 
ture  must  n^A^  ^r^einjo  conflict  with  law. 
Therefore  we  inquire 

3.  What  is  the  nature  of  the  Law  ? 

(1)  Ivawis  "a  decisive  rule  of  action  for  moral 
agents."      In  the  divine  government  the  law  de- 
mands the  voluntary  and  unconditional  submission 
of  a  free  moral  agent  to  God's  requirements.     Doing 
this,  God  will  make  him  supremely  and  eternally 
happy — as  happy  as  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and 
benevolence  can  make  him.     But 

(2)  It  is  also  of  the  nature  of  restraint.     Its  lan- 
guage is  ' '  Thou  shalt ' '  and  ' '  Thou  shalt  not. ' '     It 
requires  him  to  seek,  not  his  own  way,  but  God's 
way.     His  will  must  be  his  sole  guide.     Therefore, 

(3)  To  give  up  independence  of  action  and  sub- 
mit to  restraint,  which  oftentimes  involves  the  giv- 
ing up  of  objefts  in  themselves  desirable,  can  not  be 
an  easy  matter.      It  must  cost  a  struggle.      It  is 
going    against    inclination — practising    self-denial. 
And  this  must  be  attended  with  reluctance,  and  a 
reluctance  just  proportioned  to  the  love^of  inde- 
pendence.     By  just  so  much  as  he  loves  his  own 
way,  byjust  so  much  he  must  make  an  effort  in 
order  to  surrender  it.     But, 

(4)  It  is  his  highest  duty  to  surrender  it,  and  con- 
sent to  be  guided,  governed,  and  restrained,  if  need 
be,  as  God  may  see  fit,  as  the  only  security  for  the 
harmony  and  welfare  of  the  universe,  which  requires 
the  merging  of  all  wills  in  the  one  controlling  will 
of  the  Almighty. 

4.  Here  then  we  find 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  41 

THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Not  a  good  reason  for  it,  for  that  is  impossible;  but 
an  occasion  of  it — a  reason  why  it  is  committed.  We 
trace  it  To  the  necessary  nature  oj free  agency — to  the 
love  of  conscious  freedom  in  a  free  moral  agent, 
coming  into  conflict  with  the  necessary  restraints  of 
law  and  government — as  Paul  says,  ' '  I  had  not 
known  sin  ^^•bytheJLaw . "  (Rom.  vii  :  7.) 

In  this  view  it  is  a  mere  innocent  occasion  of  sin, 
as  the  natural  appetite  for  food  is  the  innocent  occa- 
sion of  sinful  gluttony. 

The  occasion  of  sin  is  thus  seen  to  be  inseparable 
from  free  agency  under  the  restraint  of  law;  and  some 
particulars  respecting  it  are  deserving  of  special 
notice. 

(1)  It  lies  back  of  voluntary  action,  and  is  there- 
fore destitute  of  moral  character — a  mere  constitu- 
tional element.     Therefore, 

(2)  It  is  not  at  all  of  the  nature  of  depravity,  nor 
does  it  imply  any  defect  in  the  original  constitution, 
and  is  consistent  with  perfect  innocence,  and  even 
holiness.      Christ  was  ' '  tempted  in  all  points  like  as 
we  are,  yet  without  sin." 

(3)  In  this  view  every  being  in  the  universe  who\ 
sins,  whether  man  or  devil,  sins  solely  because  he  \ 
dislikes  the  restraint  of  law,  and  shrinks  from  the 
self-denial_ necessary  to  obedience.     This  is  the  occa- 
sion of  the  sin.      The  real  sin,  and  where  all  the 
guilt  centers,  is  the  disobedience  itself — the  act  of 
transgression,  the  determination  to  break  the  law 
and  have  his  own  way,  in  exact  accordance  with  they 


42  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

way  in  which  the  prophet  describes  human  sinful- 
ness — "  We  have  turned  every  one  to  HIS  OWN  WAY." 
(Is.  liii:  6.) 

(4)  The  leading  peculiarity  of  this  view  is  that  it 
represents  the  occasion  of  sin  as  inseparable  from  a 
free  nature  under  this  necessary  restraint  of  law, 
and  belongs  therefore  to  a  moral  being  by  virtue  of 
his  creation;  and  is  as  inseparable  from  the  soul  as 
freedom  itself.     Therefore, 

(5)  It  belongs  necessarily  to  the  nature  of  all 
moral  beings  who  either  have  been  or  can  be  cre- 
ated ;  and  therefore  all  newly -created  beings  forever, 
will  have  the  same  inclination  at  the  outset  of  their 
being,  to  throw  off  the  restraints  of  law  and  govern- 
ment, that  has  already  broken  out  in  the  sinning 
angels  and  men.* 

The  law  may  be  a  mere  imperative  of  the  reason 

k  ii  _  — 

and  the  conscience,  or  it  may  be  a  command  rightly 
imposed  by  another,  to  whose  rightfulness,  how- 
ever, the  reason  assents  ;  but  in  either  case  it  is  law, 
coming  down  upon  a  moral  being  with  the  demand 
of  obedience  to  rightful  authority.  In  the  former 
case  the  individual  becomes,  in  the  language  of  the 
apostle,  ' '  a  law  unto  himself,  his  conscience  also  bear- 


*  Some  perhaps  would  prefer  to  say  that  the  disinclination  to  sub- 
mission grows  out  of  a  love  of  self-gratification  rather  than  the  love  of 
freedom.  But  this  statement  appears  not  quite  sufficiently  general  to 
cover  the  whole  ground;  for  there  appears  to  be  an  inclination  to 
resist  authority  as  such,  without  reference  to  any  particular  object  of 
self-gratification — to  refuse  to  obey  just  because  commanded  to — to 
refuse  to  do  a  thing  just  because  told  to.  Our  statement  also  seems  to 
come  nearer  to  our  Savior's  representation  of  the  workings  of  the 
wicked  heart — "  we  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us  " — imply- 
ing a  hatred  of  authority.  (Luke  xix  :  14. ) 


MORAL   EVIL    IN    ITS   ORIGIN.  43 

ing  witness."  (Rom.  ii  :  15.)  In  the  latter  he 
comes  under  the  authority  of  another — a  parent, 
guardian,  master,  or  ruler;  and  the  sin  resulting  is 
always  disobedience  to  rightful  authority — to  law. 
Sin  is  ever  therefore  ' '  the  transgression  of  the  law. ' ' 
' '  Where  no  law  is  there  is  no  transgression. ' '  (Rom. 
iv:i5.) 

With  the  existence  and  operation  of  this  element 
in  human  society  we  are  all  familiar.  The  inclina- 
tion of  the  whole  world  is  to  its  own  pleasure.  The 
very  first  development  of  the  infant  mind  is  in  the 
direction  of  impatience  of  restraint — he  wants  his 
own  way.  This  is  the  leading  chardleristic  of  child- 
hood also,  and  is  what  creates  the  necessity  for  pa- 
rental authority  in  the  family.  This  is  the  chief 
trouble  in  the  community — that  men  want  their  own 
way,  instead  of  seeking  the  general  good.  This,  too, 
makes  government  necessary  in  the  state;  and  even 
on  the  broad  field  of  national  experience  the  sole 
occasion  of  difficulty  is  the  preference  of  the  individ- 
ual over  the  general  good.  "for  all  seek  their 
own"  is  the  grand  trouble  of  the  universe.  (Phil, 
ii :  21.) 

This  view  of  the  occasion  of  sin,  is  one  whose  im- 
portance can  hardly  be  over-estimated.  The  fact 
that  all  created  beings,  from  their  very  nature,  shrink 
from  the  restraints  of  law,  and  are,  on  that  account, 
inclined  to  sin,  is  the  distinguishing'feature  of  the 
system  herein  developed,  and  furnishes  the  key,  it 
is  believed,  to  the  right  understanding  of  the  moral 
universe.  And  even  as  the  law  of  gravitation  is  the 
key  which  unlocks  the  grand  secrets  of  the  material 


44  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

universe,  and  gives  the  reason«for  its  beauty,  order, 
and  harmony,  so  the  key  which  unlocks  the  grand 
secrets  of  the  moral  universe,  and  gives'  the  reason 
for  all  in  it  that  is  discordant  and  jarring  and  trouble- 
some, will  be  found  to  be  this  universal  tendency  of 
free  mind  to  resist  law,  and  thus  to  break  away  from 
the  great  controlling  center — -^God.  It  is  this  that 
ruined  the  angels,  that  made  the  human  race  a  sin- 
"fuToTie^hat  made  redemption  necessary,  and  is  the 
grand  obstacle  to  the  unfolding  of  the  moral  uni- 
verse, in  the  coming  ages,  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness,  and  which  can  be  surmounted  only  by  the 
infinite  energies  of  the  Almighty. 

SEC.  3.   Objections. 

To  this  representation  of  the  origin  of  sin  it  may 
be  objected 

i .  That,  if  this  dislike  of  restraint  be  a  necessary 
element  in  the  nature  of  a  moral  being,  then  its  in- 
dulgence is  a  matter  of  course,  and  not  to  be  won- 
dered at;  and  that  a  moral  being  can  not  be  blamed 
for  indulging  it.  Answer: 

This  objection  overlooks  the  essential  elements  of 
a  free  nature;  for  while  it  is  true  that  the  love  of  con- 
scious freedom,  and  the  consequent  dislike  of  re- 
straint belong  necessarily  to  the  nature  of  a  free 
moral  agent,  yet  so  also  do  reason  and  conscience  and 
the  sense  of  moral  obligation  belong  as  truly  and  in- 
separably to  such  a  nature;  and  the  free  moral  agent 
is  as  free  to  follow  one  as  the  other. 

And  between  these  two,  the  inclination  and  the 
reason,  stands  the  imperial  will  regnant  in  the  realm 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS   ORIGIN.  45 

of  its  own  activity,  and  deciding  ever  for  itself  which  \ 
of  the  two  it  will  follow,  the  love  of  freedom,  and  I 
thus  commit  sin,  or  the  reason  and  judggnent  and  / 
thus  act  rightly? 

And  here  it  should  be  noticed  that  whenever  it 
rejects  the  demands  of  reason,  and  follows  the  in- 
clination to  self-indulgence,  it  always  acts  against  the 
higher  motive,  and  yields  to  the  lower;  and,  in  so 
doing,  stifles  within  itself  the  sense  of  moral  obliga- 
tion, debases  its  lofty  nature,  and  commits  an  act  of 
inexcusable  wickedness. 

To  illustrate — A  religiously  educated  business- 
man listens  to  a  sermon  from  the  text  ' '  Seek  first 
the  kingdom  of  God. ' '  The  message  comes  to  him 
backed  by  the  authority  of  the  Almighty,  and  he 
so  accepts  it.  It  is  distinctly  before  his  mind  not 
only  as  the  higher  motive,  but  the  highest  motive 
in  the  universe.  And  on  being  questioned  he  would 
acknowledge  it  to  be  such.  He  listens  to  the  ser- 
mon, and  acknowledges  its  truthfulness.  And  yet 
he  will  refuse  to  be  effectually  moved  by  it,  and 
persist  still  in  his  life  of  worldliness  and  sin. 

The  entire  preceding  view  of  the  nature  and  oper- 
ations of  a  human  soul  in  the  matter  of  sinful 
selfjndulgenceA  is  comprehended  in  the  single  word 
self-denial^  To  show  this,  let  the  word  be  carefully 
analyzed. 

i.  In  the  act  of  self-denial,  there  is  a  conscious 
something  to  be  repressed.  And  it  belongs  to  me. 
It  is  a  part  of  my  moral  nature — a  something  in  me 
pleading  for  self-indulgence.  In  familiar  language 
— it  wants  its  own  way. 


4<>  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

2.  Something  within  me  says  that  I  ought  not  to 
yield  to  it — that  to  yield  to  it  would  be  wrong,  and 
to  refuse  to  yield  to  it  would  be  commendable  and 
right.      Thus  some  part  of  my  moral  nature  com- 
mands me  not  to  yield  to  another  part  of  my  moral 
nature. 

3.  I  feel  and  know  that  there  is  a  power  within 
me  qualifying  me  to  do  this — qualifying  me  to  stand 
up  against  this  internal  inclination,  and  to  refuse  to 
gratify  it.      I  know  I  can  say  to  it,  "  Get  thee  be- 
hind me.     I  will  not  yield  to  thee.     I  will  do  right. 
I  will  reject  the  temptation,  and  trample  on  it." 

x  4.  If  I  use  this  conscious  power,  and  stand  up 

/against  this  temptation,  I  stand  up  against  myself. 

|     One  part  of  myself  exercises  authority  over  another 

part  of  myself,  and  demands  of  it  obedience.      My- 

\    self    denies  myself.      Hence,    the    expression  self- 

V  denial. 

The  mind  appears,  therefore,  to  move  in  this 
three-fold  direction — in  the  direction  of  the  inclina- 
tion,  the  judgment,  and  the  will. 

a.  Therrris^n  inclination  To^choose  my  own  way 
of  self-indulgence. 

b.  There  is  a  judgment  deciding  that  the  indul^ 
gence  of  the  inclination — the  yielding  to  it — would 
b^  wrong. 

f    c.  There  is  the  imperial  will  determining  to  follow 

/  the  judgment  instead  of  the  inclination;    and  all 

V  this  is  the  simple  analysis  of  the  word  self-denial. 

\    When,  therefore,  rightful  authority  meets  a  moral 

being  to  which  he  feels  disinclined  to  yield,  reason 

and  conscience  press  him  at  once  to  resist  this  love 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  47 

of  independence,  this  temptation,  this  ' '  drawing 
away  of  his  own  lust, ' '  and  submit  to  the  require- 
ment. And  if  he  would  but  resist  it,  as  he  might 
do,  and  as  God  commands  him  to  do — as  the  devil 
might  have  done,  and  Adam  might  have  done,  and 
both  should  have  done — not  only  would  there  be  no 
sin  in  him,  but  he  would  merit  the  commendation, 
' '  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation. ' ' 
But  if  he  yields  to  it,  he  sins,  and  assumes  the  en- 
tire responsibility  of  the  wrong-doing.  He  is  never 
any  more  excusable  in  yielding  to  this  occasion  than 
is  the  glutton  in  his  gluttony.  Who  would  excuse 
a  man  for  acting  like  a  beast? 

And  if  he  yields,  he  is  perfectly  free  in  so  doing. 
For  were  there  anything  in  the  inclination  or  im- 
pulse which  determined  the  will  of  the  moral  being — 
any  thing  in  it  of  a  compulsory  nature — there  would 
be  no  explanation  of  that  remorse  which  rends  the 
guilty  soul. 

REMORSE  is  the  soul  upbraiding  itself  for  its  sin; 
and  wherever  felt,  is  its  own  clear  testimony  to 
three  things: 

( i )  That  the  sin  committed  was  wholly  unneces- 
sary. Could  a  convicted  soul,  in  the  extremity  of 
its  torment  from  remorse,  see  and  feel  that  back  of 
its  wickedness  there  lay  a  necessity  under  which  it 
acted,  the  remorse  would  cease  at  once.  It  would 
instantly  clear  itself  from  blame  and  from  mental 
suffering  by  the  reflection,  ' '  I  could  not  help  it, ' ' 
and  be  at  peace.  There  would  no  longer  be  ground 
for  remorse  or  the  possibility  of  it.  There  might  be 
any  amount  of  regret  at  the  unpleasant  consequences 


48  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

which  have  followed,  but  there  could  be  no  self-re- 
proach at  being  the  guilty  author  of  those  conse- 
quences; and  this  is  the  essential  ingredient  in 
remorse. 

(2)  Remorse  is  the  soul's  testimony  that  the  sin- 
ful conduct  was  inexcusable.      If  in  certain  compli- 
cated cases  of  human  action  there  are  some  things 
which    appear   excusable,   and  others  not,  the  re- 
morse reaches  only  those  which  are  seen  to  be  inex- 
cusable and  keeps  exact  pace  with  the  inexcusable- 
ness.      Whatever  is  seen  to  be  excusable  ceases  to 
distress.      Self-reproach    extends  only  to  that  for 
which  the  soul  can  find  no  good  excuse. 

(3)  The  testimony  of  the  soul  under  remorse  is, 
that  in  the  precise  circumstances  in  which  it  acted 
wrong,  it  should  have  acted  exactly  the  other  way — 
either  not  to  do  what  it  did,  or  to  do  that  which  it 
neglected  to  do.    Observe — The  conviction  of  the  re- 
morseful soul  is  that  there  should  have  been  an  en- 
tire change  in   the  conduct,  with  no  change  in  the 
circumstances.      It  blames  itself  for  acting  as  it  did, 
the  circumstances  remaining  as  they  were;  thus  giv- 
ing its  own  highest  testimony  to  its  own  perfect  free- 
dom. 

However  wicked  men  may  reason  against  their 
own  freedom  and  responsibility,  one  pang  of  re- 
morse within  them  gives  the  lie  to  all  their  assump- 
tions against  it,  dissipates  all  their  sophistries,  and 
arraigns  them  at  the  bar  of  their  own  consciences  as 
being  guilty  and  deserving  of  punishment  for  not 
acting  exactly  the  opposite  way  from  what  they  did 
act,  and  with  no  change  of  circumstances.  And  this 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  49 

is  freedom — freedom  in  choice,  power  of  contrary 
choice — FREEDOM  OF  WILL,  absolute  and  unqualified. 

This  element  in  a  moral  nature,  therefore,  this 
love  of  conscious  freedom,  this  occasion  of  sin  al- 
tho  constitutional,  and  necessarily  belonging  to 
free  agency,  is  yet  one  that  should  ever  be  kept  in 
subordination  to  the  higher  law  of  reason  and  con- 
science— that  law  which  demands  that  God  be 
obeyed  at  any  cost  of  sacrifice  and  self-denial. 

And  the  example  of  the  Savior,  who  was  ' '  made 
in  all  things  "  like  as  we  are,  and  "  tempted  in  all 
points  like  as  we  are,"  has  demonstrated  that  it  can 
be  and  ought  to  be  kept  in  subordination.  He  said, 
' '  not  my  will  but  Thine  be  done. ' '  And  so  ought 
every  moral  being  in  God's  universe  to  say  when 
brought  to  the  trial — ' '  not  my  will  but  Thine  be 
done;  "  and  there  is  no  manner  of  excuse  why  he 
should  not.  Because  he  can  give  up  his  own  will 
and  way,  he  can  go  against  his  inclinations,  and 
ought  ever  to  do  thus  when  reason  and  conscience 
demand  it,  even  as  did  the  Savior.  But  it  will  ever 
be  with  a  struggle  at  the  outset.  ' '  Not  my  will ' '  is 
the  strait  gate  through  which  every  soul  must  pass 
at  the  threshold  of  moral  action;  and  he  who  said  it 
' '  left  us  an  example, ' '  and  left  it  to  the  universe 
too — ' '  that  we  should  follow  his  steps  who  did  no 
sin."*  (i  Pet.  i :  21,  22.) 

*  The  assumption  not  unf  requently  made,  that  Christ  resisted  temp- 
tation and  remained  holy  by  virtue  of  his  divine  nature;  or  because  he 
received  extra  divine  assistance  over  and  above  what  we  receive,  is  an 
assumption  wholly  unauthorized. 

i.  The  Scriptures  nowhere  teach  such  a  doctrine.  In  the  account  of 
his  temptation  in  the  wilderness,  we  find  no  evidence  of  supernatural 
help.  The  ministration  of  the  angels  granted  for  His  relief  and  com- 


5©  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  every  sin  in  God's  universe 
whenever  or  wherever,  or  by  whomsoever  com- 
mitted, is,  and  must  be,  in  the  very  nature  of  the 
case,  wholly  inexcusable,  and  deserving  of  unquali- 
fied condemnation.  For  he  who  does  wrong,  and 
rejects  the  binding  authority  of  reason  and  con- 
science, commits  an  act  second  only  in  criminality, 
both  as  respects  its  nature  and  influence,  to  a  depar- 
ture from  moral  rectitude  on  the  part  of  God  Himself. 


fort  in  His  bitter  conflict,  was  not  furnished  till  the  temptation  was 
ended;  and  the  "heirs  to  salvation  "  are  favored  with  this  same  super- 
natural assistance  of  the  ministering  angels. 

2.  The  record  of  this  temptation  shows  Him  resisting  the  assaults  of 
the  adversary  simply  by  opposing  to  his  suggestions  the  declarations  of 
the  Scriptures;  in  which  there  is  no  evidence  of  superior  divine  assis- 
tance. 

3.  The  clear  statement  of  the  Bible,  that  he  was  "made  in  all  things 
like  unto  his  brethren,"  and  was  "  tempted  in  all  points  like  as  they 
are"  is  a  declaration  of  little  significance  for  us  in  the  hour  of  tempta- 
tion, provided  that,  for  any  reason,  he  had  a  better  opportunity  for  re- 
sisting temptation,  and  thus  remaining  holy,  than  we  have. 

4.  He  is  distinctly  held  up  as  an  example  for  our  imitation,  and  we 
are  exhorted  to  be  sinless  because  He  ivas  ( i  Pet.  ii  :  21-23. ) ;  and  where 
is  the  force  of  such  an  exhortation  if  the  possibibities  of  resistance,  on 
our  part,  were  not  equally  favorable  with  His  ?    The  entire  argument 
of  the  apostle  in  Heb.  ii  :  10-18  and  iv  :  14-16,  fails  of  being  satisfactory 
the  moment  we  assume,  for  the  Savior,  superior  advantages  to  ours  for 
remaining  holy.    If  His  temptations  were  less  severe  than  ours;  or  if 
his  human  nature  derived  superior  strength  from  a  union  with  the 
divine;  or  if  a  greater  measure  of  the  Spirit  were  imparted;  or  any 
divine  assistance  furnished  of  which  we  are  deprived,  then  is  there  no 
reasonableness  in  the  exhortation  to  us  to  remain  holy  because  He  did. 
Also,  if  at  this  point,  he  was  lifted  out  of  the  plane  of  human  experience, 
and  translated  into  that  of  the  divine,  he  is  no  longer  one  who  can 
sympathize  with  us  in  our  temptations  merely  on  the  ground  of  having 
been  "  Himself  tempted,"  which  is  the  ground  presented. 

There  is,  indeed,  no  ground  for  any  other  belief  than  that  every  dis- 
advantage which  human  nature  now  has  in  the  conflict  with  tempta- 
tion, Christ  had;  and  on  the  other  hand,  that  every  advantage  He  had 
for  resisting  temptation,  and  remaining  holy,  human  nature  now  has; 
so  that  the  fact  that  he  remained  true  to  God  and  duty  is  proof  that 
every  human  being  should  do  the  same. 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS   ORIGIN.  51 

And  well  may  God  say  to  him,  "  Be  ye  therefore  per- 
fect EVEN  AS  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven  is  per- 
fect . "  "  Be  y e  holy  FOR  I  am  holy . ' '  It  isobj  ected : 

2.  That  Adam  in  the  garden  obeyed  God  for  some 
considerable  time  after  his  creation,  and,  therefore, 
could  not  have  had  in  him,  at  the  outset,  any  such 
occasion  of  sin  as  is  now  insisted  on.  Answer: 

Many,  and  indeed  most  of  our  theologians  lavish 
upon  Adam,  previous  to  his  fall,  groundless  com- 
mendations, calling  him  not  only  innocent  and  sin- 
less, but  holy:  ' '  heart  full  of  holiness, "  "  loving  all 
that  God  loved,"  [self-denial?]  "spontaneous  to 
good,"  in  short,  a  perfect  pattern  of  obedience  and 
holiness  at  the  very  outset — at  the  very  time  of  his 
creation.  They  do  not  see  apparently,  that  created 
holiness  is  an  absurdity — that  as  no  sin  is  possible  but 
a  ' '  trangression  of  the  law, "  so  no  holiness  is  possible 
but  obedience  to  law,  and  that  Adam,  when  created, 
was  only  innocent,  not  holy.  Thus  they  make  no 
distinction  between  innocence  and  holiness — between 


the  obedience  that  costs  no^elf-denial,  and  the  obe- 
dience that  submits  to  God  under  a  fair  trial,  and 
thus  use,  in  respect  to  Adam,  language  applicable 
only  to  a  being  confirmed  in  obedience. 

All  the  character  Adam  had  earned  previous  to 
his  fall  was  earned  only  by  obedience  to  commands 
which  crossed  none  of  his  natural  inclinations,  and 
cost  him  no  self-denial — the  law  of  marriage  and  the 

- — -•      **'  -__2- 

Sabbath,  and  the  command  to  dress  and  keep  the 
gardenT  No  commands  had  been  imposed  which  in- 
terfered at  all  with  his  pleasure — his  inclinations; 
and  the  commendation  so  often  lavished  upon  him 


52  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

for  his  goodness,  obedience,  and  holiness,  are  ground- 
less. It  was  a  goodness  that  cost  nothing,  and  was 
worth  as  little.  Good  as  far  as  it  went,  but  of  very 
inferior  value,  because  existing  in  a  heart  in  which 
there  was  no  settled  principle  of  obedience. 

But  to  the  point  in  question:  How  could  obedi- 
ence in  such  circumstances  prove  that  he  had  no 
constitutional  disinclination  to  submit  to  the  proper 
and  necessary  restraints  of  law  and  authority?  The 
fact  was  that  no  sooner  was  he  crossed  than  he  re- 
fused to  obey.  No  sooner  did  he  find  that  the  tree 
was  "  good  for  food,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired  to 
make  one  wise, ' '  than  his  love  of  having  his  own 
way  overpowered  all  other  considerations,  and  in  the 
face  of  commands  and  warnings  and  threatenings, 
and  reason  and  conscience,  broke  out  in  open  rebel- 
lion against  restraint;  and  that,  too,  in  so  insignifi- 
cant a  matter  as  the  possession  of  a  single  tree,  when 
allowed  freely  to  partake  of  all  the  other  trees  of  the 
garden.  Certainly  his  recorded  experience,  so  far 
as  it  goes,  proves  only  the  truth  of  our  position — 
that  the  occasion  of  sin  is  common  to  all  moral  be- 
ings. It  is  objected: 

3.  That  the  unfallen  angels  have  not  sinned;   and 
how  then  can  the  occasion  of  sin  be  common  to  all 
moral  beings  ? 

This  objection  will  be  noticed  when  we  come  to 
consider  ' '  the  relation  of  Moral  Evil  to  the  Unfallen 
Angels." 

It  is  objected 

4.  That  this  position  assumes  a  similar  element  in 
the  human  nature  of  Christ.     Answer: 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  53 

The  Scriptures  themselves  teach  this.  Christ  is 
declared  to  have  been  ' '  made  in  all  things  like  as 
we  are, ' '  and  to  have  been  ' '  tempted  in  all  points 
like  as  we  are  "  (Heb.  2  :  17;  4  :  15),  and  how 
could  this  be  unless  He  had  the  same  constitutional 
inclinations  that  we  have  ?  Also  it  says  He  ' '  pleased 
not  Himself"  (Rom.  15  :  3);  consequently  went 
against  His  pleasure — His  natural  inclinations — con- 
sequently denied  Himself,  showing  that  He  had  incli- 
nations which  needed  to  be  denied,  just  as  we  have. 
Had  He  '  'pleased  himself, ' '  and  followed  His  inclina- 
tions, as  we  do,  He  would  have  sinned;  but  He  said 
rather, ' '  Not^y  will,  but  thine  be  done. "  By  '  'will ' ' 
is  here  meant  wish, or  inclination;  and  His  inclination 
He  resisted.  And  this  inclination  was  precisely  the 
same  inclination  which  leads  us  to  sin,  and  would 
have  lead  Him  to  sin  had  He  not  resisted  it.  At  this 
point,  therefore,  He  was  indeed  tempted  precisely  as 
we  are,  and  therefore  had  in  Him  the  same  inclina- 
tion to  resist  the  necessary  restraints  of  law  and 
government,  which  we  and  all  moral  beings  have. 
It  is  objected  again: 

5.  That  as  moral  beings  are  made  "in  God's 
image,"  the  foregoing  position  will  necessitate  self- 
denial  on  the  part  of  the  Almighty.  True  ;  and 
obedience  to  the  great  law  of  benevolence,  to  which 
He  also  is  subject,  does  call  for  self-denial  even  on 
His  part.  God  even  claims  it  for  Himself,  when  He 
says,  "He  doth  not  afflict  willingly:'  Therefore 
by  just  so  much  as  He  does  not,  must  He  repress  the 
immediate  promptings  of  His  pitiful  nature,  and  be- 
cause the  highest  good  demands  it,  deny  Himself, 


54  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

and  still  continue  the  infliction.  Again,  He  is  "  not 
willing  that  any  should  perish;"  and  by  just  so 
much  as  He  is  not  willing,  must  He  repress  the  strong 
impulses  of  affection  for  the  creature  He  has  made; 
and  because  the  general  good  demands  the  mainten- 
ance of  His  law  and  government  inviolate,  must  He 
still  deny  Himself  and  punish  him  as  he  deserves. 
Moreover  the  giving  of  His  own  son  to  sufferings 
and  death,  was  an  act  of  infinite  self- denial. 

Thus  in  the  mutual  relations  of  moral  beings, 
self-denial  for  the  general  good  has  become  the  law 
of  the  universe.  ' '  If  any  man  will  come  after  me  let 
him  deny  himself"  (Matt,  xvi  :  24),  is  undoubtedly 
not  merely  the  law  of  this  world,  but  of  all  worlds. 
Even  God  does  not  exempt  himself  from  self-denial; 
and  he,  therefore,  who  refuses  to  practice  it,  and 
thus  remain  true  to  God  and  duty,  assails  the  uni- 
versal welfare,  disobeys  the  Almighty,  follows  the 
promptings  of  his  own  self-will,  and  deserves  the 
uttermosst  of  condemnation. 

There  is,  therefore,  no  valid  objection  to  the  posi- 
tion we  are  assuming — that  the  occasion  of  sin  is 
common  to  the  nature  of  all  moral  beings  who  either 
have  been  or  can  be  created. 

EVOLUTION. 

In  recent  years  the  attempt  has  been  made  to  find 
the  occasion  of  sin  in  the  fact  of  evolution.  One  of 
the  latest  expositions  of  this  scheme  is  in  a  recent 
work  by  REV.  GEORGE  A.  GORDON,  D.D.,  entitled 
"Immortality  and  the  New  Theodicy;"  and  it  is 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  55 

presumed  that  the  views  presented  by  him  are  fairly 
in  accordance  with  the  views  of  the  evolutionists 
generally. 

THEODICY  is  an  attempt  to  reconcile  the  existence 
of  evil  with  the  benevolence  of  God;  and  this  ' '  New 
Theodicy ' '  explains  the  matter,  in  the  words  of  DR. 
GORDON  thus — "  The  temporary  power  man  has  to 
resist  God,  is  in  consequence  of  the  irrationality  that 
he  has  brought  up  with  him  from  the  animal  world. ' ' 
' '  All  the  retarding  forces  of  human  society  are  due 
to  irrationality, "  "to  the  weakness  of  reason. ' '  The 
scheme  is — that  man  is  derived — evolved  from  the 
brute  creation,  and  has  come  up  from  it  by  a  grad- 
ual process;  and,  therefore,  he  speaks  of  man  as 
having  a  "  semi-brutal  character."  (Pp.  82,  100, 
101.) 

There  are  serious  objections  to  this  hypothesis. 

i.  It  can  not  be  proved.  DR.  GORDON  brings 
forward  no  proof  whatever  of  its  truthfulness. 
Whatever  evidence  there  may  be  from  fossil  remains 
of  a  gradual  evolution  in  the  brute  creation  from  a 
lower  to  a  higher  type — and  there  is  confessedly  a 
vast  deal — there  is  not  a  particle  of  evidence  that 
man  has  been  included  in  the  process.  That  he  has, 
is  manifestly  an  unwarrantable  inference,  with 
nothing  conclusive  to  support  it.  No  man  has  ever 
seen  such  a  change  taking  place.  If  men  have  been 
found  with  brutal  natures,  apparently  half  brute  and 
half  human,  it  has  been  a  descent  from  the  rational 
to  the  irrational,  due  to  physical  causes  ;  but,  in  no 
case  on  record,  an  ascent  from  the  brutal  to  the  moral 
and  spiritual. 


56  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

2.  The  hypothesis  is  unnecessary.     The  occasion 
of  sin,  as    developed  in  the  preceding  pages,  is  far 
more  satisfactory,   and,  indeed,  meets  fully  all  the 
facts  in  the  case.     This  finds  the  occasion  of  sin  in 
the  nature  of  free,  moral  agency,  coming  into  conflict 
with  the  necessary  restraints  of  law  and  government, 
and  no  other  explanation  is  needed. 

3.  The  statement  in  Genesis  is  that  man  was  made 
"  in  the  image  of  God  ;"  and  the  same  truth  is  re- 
peated in  James  iii :  9,  that  men  are  now  ' '  made 
after  the  similitude  of  God. ' '     The  image  of  God 
then  is  semi- brutal /" 

4.  This  theory  of  evolution  makes  sin  unavoidable 
and  even  necessary.     Says  HENRY  WARD  BEECHER, 
sin  is  the  ' '  necessary  concomitant ' '  of  the  evolu- 
tionary process  ;  and  DR.  GORDON  affirms  respect- 
ing man  that  this  animal  and  irrational  nature  ' '  is 
fastened  upon  him  by  his  Maker. ' '    (p.  101 .)   There- 
fore being  necessary  and  unavoidable,  it  is  not  really 
sin,  only  imperfection,  and,  to  a  degree,  excusable  ; 
which  sin,  as  dealt  with  in  the  Bible,  never  is. 

5.  This,  too,  throws  the  responsibility  for  human 
sinfulness  directly  on  to  the  Almighty,  and  makes  it 
due  to  His  own  direct  agency  in  ' ( fastening  upon 
him  ' '  this  animal  nature. 

6.  This  theory  represents  sin  as  originating  in  the 
animal  nature,  and  not  in  the  spiritual ;  whereas  our 
Savior  declares  that  sin  conies   directly  from  the 
spiritual :   "  Out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts, 
murders,     adulteries,     fornications,     thefts,     etc." 
(Matt.  xvtiQ.)     Therefore    sin  originates  in  the 
spiritual  and  not  in  the  animal  nature.     What  have 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  57 

the  towering  passions  of  pride,  envy,  hatred,  revenge, 
and  ambition  to  do  with  the  body  ?  The  body  is 
only  the  occasional  instrument  of  their  gratification, 
not  the  originating  cause  of  them.  (This  point  will 
be  more  fully  considered  in  the  chapter  on  ' '  Man.") 

7.  Regarding  sin  as  due  to  the  animal  nature 
which  ' '  God  has  fastened  on  man, ' '  the  evolutionist 
can  have  no  such  idea  of  the  character  of  sin  as  the 
Bible  gives  it — "enmity  against  God,"  "  heart  full 
of  evil,"  "wicked  to  desperation,"  "  madness  is  in 
their  heart. ' '     Moreover  the  Bible  makes  the  enor- 
mity of  sin  to  be  due  to  the  fact  that  it  is  the  trans- 
gression of  law,    ' '  that  sin  by  the  commandment, 
might  become  exceeding  .sinful,"  just  as  the  repre- 
sentation of  sin  in  the  preceding  pages  makes  it. 

Also  where  is  the  propriety  of  God's  hating  sin  so 
terribly,  "Thou  hatest  all  workers  of  iniquity," 
hating  a  man  merely  for  acting  out  the  ' '  semi-brutal 
character,"  which  He  Himself  had  "fastened  upon 
him?" 

8.  The  sin  of  Adam  is  not  represented  as  due  at 
all  to  "irrationality" — to  any  "want  of  reason," 
but  as  an  intelligent  and  deliberate  violation  of  a 
plain  and  positive  command — "  Thou  shalt  not  eat 
of  the  tree. ' '     He  wickedly  followed  his  inclinations, 
and  God  evidently  regarded  his  conduct  as  utterly 
inexcusable.     He  does  not  appear  to  regard  his  sin 
as  due  to  something  that  He  had  ' '  fastened  on  him," 
and,  therefore,   to  some  extent,  excusable,  but  as 
wilful  and  inexcusable,  and  deserving  the  punish- 
ment threatened  upon  him — ' '  Dust  thou   art,  and 
unto  dust  shalt  thou  return. ' ' 


58  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

The  scriptures  never  depreciate  the  nature  and 
origin  of  man  even  by  the  remotest  implication,  only 
his  character ;  and  that  he  makes  for  himself,  and 
for  it  he  alone  is  responsible. 

On  the  contrary,  it  magnifies  his  origin  to  the 
highest  degree.  God  said  ' '  Let  us  make  man  in 
our  image  after  our  likeness.  (Gen.  i  :  26). 

Also  in  Heb.  ii :  7,  it  says  "  Thou  madest  him  a 
little  lower  than  the  angels ;  thou  crownedst  him 
with  glory  and  honor. ' '  Now  unless  we  assume  for 
the  angels  a  brutal  nature  and  origin,  which  seems 
an  unwarrantable  assumption,  then  as  the  creation 
of  man  is  mentioned  in  immediate  connection  with 
that  of  the  angels,  we  should  naturally  assume  for 
both  a  direct  creation  of  God  without  any  brutal 
intervention. 

It  says  also  in  the  same  connection,  ' '  Thou  didst 
set  him  over  the  works  of  thy  hands ' ' ;  while  the 
Evolutionist  makes  him  come  up  himself  from  the 
brute  creation — not  only  not  in  any  sense  ' '  set 
over"  them,  but  being  himself  a  development  of 
them. 

But  the  absurdity  of  the  doctrine  of  Evolution 
comes  out  preeminently  in  this — that  as  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  ' '  made  in  all  things  like  unto  his  breth- 
ren," therefore,  the  great  Redeemer,  the  Lord  of 
glory,  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  had  a  "brutal 
character  fastened  on  him." 

9.  Such  a  view  of  the  origin  of  sin  should  excite 
only  ihepity  of  the  Almighty — pity  that  His  ' '  semi- 
brutal  "  creatures  do  not  exercise  a  better  judgment 
— that  they  are  not  less  irrational,  and  do  not  use  a 


MORAL   EVIL   IN    ITS   ORIGIN.  59. 

better  reason  in  their  conduct.  No  place  whatever 
is  left  for  any  exhibition  of  wrath-,  whereas  Paul 
says  in  Rom.  i  :  1 8  that  ' '  the  wrath  of  God  is  re- 
vealed from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  un- 
righteousness of  men. ' '  Also,  instead  of  regarding 
even  the  heathen  as  "irrational,"  he  says  in  v.  19 
that  "  that  which  may  be  known  of  God  was  mani- 
fest in  them;  for  God  had  showed  it  to  them.  Also 
v.  20  that  his  divine  character  was  ' '  clearly  seen  ' ' 
from  the  works  of  nature;  so  that  their  wickedness 
was  ' '  without  excuse. ' '  Also,  that  their  sinfulness 
was  not  due  to  a  "  want  of  reason,"  but  that  they 
"knew  God;  "  and  though  clearly  seeing  their  ob- 
ligations to  be  grateful,  they  were  not  "  thankful;  " 
and  worse  than  all,  turned  away  from  the  worship 
of  the  true  God  to  the  worship  of  idols  (vs.  18-25). 
Paul,  therefore,  makes  out  the  sinfulness  even  of  the 
heathen,  to  be  wilful,  wicked  and  inexcusable  ;  and 
not  due  to  any  ' '  want  of  reason. ' '  At  this  point 
the  scheme  of  evolution  seems  opposed  to  the  entire 
representations  of  the  Scriptures. 

10.  The  tendency  of  the  scheme  is  to  Universal- 
ism  ;  and  however  DR.  GORDON  may  disclaim  for 
himself  a  belief  in  the  doctrine,  such  is  still  its  direct 
tendency.  And,  indeed,  it  is  here  asserted  without 
fear  of  contradiction,  that  the  mass  of  the  Evolution- 
ists are  also  Universalists. 

1 1 .  What  idea  of  the  atonement  must  any  man 
have  with  this  belief  in  evolution  ?  Not  at  all  as  a 
scheme  of  mercy  to  save  the  sinner  from  the  penalty 
of  violated  law — not  at  all  as  a  plan  to  render  for- 
giveness possible  under  the  perfect,  moral  government 


60  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

of  God — not  at  all  as  designed  to  ' '  save  us  from 
wrath  through  Christ  "  (Rom.  v  :  9);  but  merely  a 
plan  to  assist  man  out  of  his  ' '  irrationality  ' ' — to 
restore  his  defective  "reason;"  thus  rejecting  the 
teachings  of  the  Bible  upon  this  most  vital  of  all 
doctrines. 

And  the  fact  is  that  many  of  our  most  prominent 
Congregational  pastors,  and  even  professors  in  our 
theological  seminaries,  starting  with  this  theory  of 
evolution  as  the  origin  of  sin,  are  modifying  funda- 
mentally the  Scripture  doctrine  of  the  atonement,  and 
making  it  a  far  different  matter  from  what  the  Bible 
makes  it;  and  under  the  name  of ' '  Progressive  Ortho- 
doxy," "New  Theodicy,"  and  "  Advanced  Think- 
ing, ' '  are  making  it  anything  but  the  great  plan  of 
the  Almighty  to  "deliver  us  from  the  wrath  to 
come."  (i  Thes.  i  :  10.)  And  thus  the  theory  of 
evolution,  as  usually  apprehended  and  accepted,  is 
subverting  the  very  foundations  of  Christianity. 

HEREDITARY  DEPRAVITY. 

This  doctrine,  as  held  generally  in  our  evangeli- 
cal churches,  is — That  mankind  have  become  sinful 
on  account  of  some  kind  of  a  connection  with  sinful 
Adam,  so  that  the  sinfulness  of  the  race  is  to  be 
traced  to  this  connection.  The  obvious  objection  to 
this  view  is  that,  as  God  is  the  author  of  this  con- 
nection, it  represents  him  as  acting  to  perpetuate  sin. 
It  seems  desirable,  therefore,  that,  if  possible,  some 
other  and  better  view  should  be  substituted. 

It  is  proposed  in  this  book  to  substitute,  in  the 
place  of  this,  the  view  which  has  just  been  pre- 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  6l 

sented — that  the  sinfulness  of  mankind,  as  well  as  of 
all  sinful  beings,  is  to  be  traced  to  the  love  of  con- 
scious freedom  in  a  free  moral  agent,  coming  into 
conflict  with  the  necessary  restraints  of  law  and  gov- 
ernment; and  that  this  characteristic  of  a  moral  nature 
belongs  to  all  moral  beings  who  either  have  been  or 
can  be  created.* 

Some  may  object  to  this  substitution  on  the 
ground  that  an  acceptance  of  the  doctrine  of  heredi- 
itary  depravity  is  necessary  to  a  belief  in  the  ' '  soli- 
darity of  the  race. ' '  But  the  solidarity  of  the  race 
appears  to  depend  merely  on  hereditary  descent;  and 
this  may  apparently  exist  without  any  transmissiou 
of  depraved  tendencies.  To  reject,  therefore,  the 
doctrine  of  hereditary  depravity,  is  not  of  necessity 
to  reject  the  solidarity  of  the  race,  nor  to  take  a  posi- 
tion distinctively  Pelagian. 

Others  again  may  object  to  this  substitution  on 
the  ground  that  it  sacrifices  the  doctrine  of  Federal 
Headship.  But  it  is  not  proposed  to  set  this  aside, 


*  Let  it  be  noticed,  however,  that  in  suggesting  this  change  from  the 
commonly  accepted  belief,  no  change  is  contemplated  in  the  Bible 
dodlrine  of  human  wickedness  either  in  its  nature,  entireness,  or  invet- 
eracy. That  will  still  remain  the  same — "the  carnal  mind  enmity 
against^God,  and  not  subject  to  His  law"  (Rom.  viii  :  7);  and  the  human 
heart  will  still  be,  in  the  language  of  the  prophet,  "  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  wicked  to  desperation."  (Jer.  xvii  :g.)  It  is  only  proposed 
to  shift  the  explanation  of  human  sinfulness  from  the  connection  of 
the  race  with  Adam,  over  on  to  this  universal  occasion  of  sinfulness  as 
found  in  the  very  nature  of  free-agency,  making  thus  all  sin  and  all 
true  depravity  to  be  an  intelligent,  wilful,  and  wicked  "  transgression 
of  law."  Thedodlrine  of  "Total  Depravity,"  or  as  that  expression 
has  been  caricatured  to  mean  that  men  are  as  bad  aa  they  can  be — the 
entire  sinfulness  of  human  character — that  mankind  are  "  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,"  and  that  a  sinner  has  not  the  least  claim  on  the 
mercy  of  God,  lies  at  the  foundation  of  the  entire  system  of  evangeli- 
cal truth. 


63  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

but  only  to  modify  it.  There  is  undoubtedly  a  great 
fundamental  truth  in  the  doctrine  of  Federal  Head- 
ship. Doubtless  Adam  stood,  in  some  important 
sense,  as  the  head  or  representative  of  the  race,  per- 
haps on  this  wise — Adam  having  been  placed  in  the 
best  possible  circumstances  for  securing  salvation, 
the  fact  that  he  sinned  showed  that  any  other  moral 
beings,  at  that  stage  of  the  universe,  would  also  sin. 
Human  nature,  therefore,  in  this  view,  had,  as  it 
were,  a  trial  in  him — the  experiment  with  him  de- 
monstrating that  moral  beings,  in  this  world,  could 
not  consistently  be  kept  from  sinning;  and,  there- 
fore, that  the  only  question  respecting  the  human 
race  was  not  how  could  the  race  be  kept  from  sinning, 
but  how  be  saved  after  they  have  sinned. 

Of  course,  this  is  not  the  usual  statement  of  the 
doctrine,  but  still  it  involves  the  trial  of  the  human 
race  in  Adam  in  a  certain  sense  ;  and  just  so  far  as  it 
does,  it  involves  the  fundamental  principle  of  Federal 
Headship. 

The  doctrine  of  Hereditary  Depravity  fails,  in 
several  respects,  of  being  satisfactory. 

I.    HISTORY   OF    THE   DOCTRINE. 

The  ancient  doctrine,  as  taught  by  AUGUSTINE 
in  the  fifth  century,  was  the  result  of  mere  human 
speculation.  It  was  assumed  that  souls,  like  bodies, 
are  propagated  from  parent  to  child.* 


*AUGUSTINE,  however,  thought  he  found  a  scriptural  warrant  for 
this  dodlrine  in  Rom.  v  :  12 — "  Death  passed  upon  all  men  for  that  all 
have  sinned;"  the  English  translation  "for  that,"  being  rendered  in 
the  I,atin  Vulgate  by  "  in  quo  " — in  whom.  The  expression  in  the  orig- 
inal Greek,  however,  admits  of  three  different  translations — in  whom. 


MORAL   EVIL   IN   ITS  ORIGIN.  63 

This  is  the  dodlrine  of  the  Assembly's  catechism, 
and  which  was  finally  crystallized  in  New  England 
in  that  familiar  couplet  of  the  primer — 

"  In  Adam's  fall 
We  sinned  all." 

This  is  the  ancient  and  proper  dodlrine  of  "  ORIG- 
INAL. SIN."* 

This  made  two  kinds  of  sin — one  committed  before 
we  were  born  and  the  other  after.  The  first  was 
called  "  original,"  the  second  "  adlual."  The  first 
made  men  sinners  ' '  by  nature, ' '  the  second  ' '  by 
practice. ' ' 

But  the  dodlrine  has  been  greatly  modified  by 
theologians  subsequently,  so  that  there  have  been  as 
many  as  six  statements  of  it  among  Calvinistic  theo- 
logians which  differ  radically  from  each  other. 


for  that,  and  unto  which.    Doddridge  prefers  the  latter—"  unto  which 
death  all  have  sinned." 

The  doctrine  of  Traducianism,  or  the  propagation  of  souls,  has  no 
scriptural  foundation  unless  it  be  this  translation  of  the  Vulgate — in 
whom — while  two  other  translations  are  equally  true  to  the  original. 

*Out  of  this  purely  philosophical  assumption  grew  the  horrible 
dogma  of  infant  damnation,  and  which,  owing  mainly  to  the  author- 
ity of  ST.  AUGUSTINE,  was  adopted  by  the  entire  medieval  church ; 
the  logical  process  being  that  as  every  infant  had  committed  the  sin  of 
eating  the  forbidden  fruit  in  Eden,  and  as  there  had  been  no  oppor- 
tunity for  repentance,  of  course,  his  perdition  must  be  the  only  possible 
result. 

According  to  this  view  original  and  actual  sin  differ  in  the  time  of 
their  commission,  but  not  at  all  in  their  nature,  both  being  a  wilful 
and  wicked  "transgression  of  law."  But  now,  if  the  doctrine  of  one- 
ness with  Adam  be  given  up  and  the  doctrine  of  Creationism  be  substi- 
tuted in  its  place,  then  the  term  Original  Sin  has  no  longer  any  intelli- 
gible meaning ;  and  to  apply  it  to  the  moral  state  of  the  infant  at  birth 
is  nonsensical.  If  oneness  with  Adam  is  given  up,  the  expression  Orig- 
inal Sin  should  be  given  up ;  or,  if  retained,  the  only  appropriate  defi- 
nition of  it  will  be  that  of  DR.  EMMOXS,  "  The  first  sin  that  was  com- 
mitted." 


64  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

PRES.  EDWARDS  differs  from  Augustine  and  Cal- 
vin in  that  he  rejects  the  propagation  of  souls  en- 
tirely, but  holds  to  a  "  divinely  constituted  union 
between  Adam  and  his  posterity,  by  which  his  sin 
becomes  theirs. ' '  According  to  AUGUSTINE  we  are 
guilty  at  birth  because  we  ate  the  forbidden  fruit. 
According  to  EDWARDS,  because  God  determined 
that  Adam's  sin  should  be  ours. 

The  PRINCETON  DIVINES  reject  all  co-existence 
with  Adam,  or  any  real  guilt  on  account  of  his  sin; 
but  hold  still  that  God  regards  and  treats  us  as  if 
we  were  guilty.  Says  DR.  HODGE:  "Adam's  act 
was  regarded  as  our  act,"  he  being,  in  this  view,  a 
kind  of  representative  of  the  human  race  and  related 
to  us  by  a  sort  of  ' '  federal  headship. ' '  Here  is 
another  change.  EDWARDS  and  CALVIN  both  held 
that  we  were  guilty  of  Adam's  sin,  though  in  differ- 
ent ways;  but  PRINCETON,  only  that  we  are  treated 
as  if  we  were.  This  theory  is  called  Imputation; 
and  which  STUART,  with  a  kind  of  grim  facetious- 
ness,  characterizes  as  ' '  fictitious  guilt,  but  veritable 
damnation." 

Many  New  England  theologians  have  made  an- 
other change,  and  teach,  not  that  we  are  guilty  of 
Adam's  sin  in  any  sense;  but  only  that  we  inherit 
from  him  a  sinful  disposition  (vide  Wood's  Essay). 
MiJLLER  also  says:  "The  individual  has  a  sinful 
nature  from  his  birth. ' ' 

Others  make  another  change  and  say  that  the  dis- 
position is  not  really  sinful,  but  only  that  we  are  de- 
praved, corrupt,  disordered  at  birth  from  our  con- 
nection with  Adam,  and  on  this  account  grow  up  to 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  65 

be  sinful.  The  Presbyterian  Confession  calls  it  "  a 
corrupted  nature. ' ' 

At  this  point  two  of  our  profoundest  modern  the- 
ologians— DRS.  MUL.LER  and  FAIRBAIRN — are  en- 
tirely at  variance.  MULLER  says  not  only  that  ' '  the 
individual  has  a  sinful  nature  at  birth,"  as  quoted 
above,  but  that  ' '  hereditary  sin  makes  every  man, 
from  the  outset  of  his  life,  actually  guilty  in  God's 
sight,  and  exposes  him  to  eternal  condemnation." 

On  the  other  hand,  FAIRBAIRN  says  that  this 
inherited  sinfulness  "is  not  transgression,  and  is 
without  guilt." 

At  this  point,  too,  there  is  another  difference  be- 
tween distinguished  theologians,  some,  like  STUART, 
holding  that  the  stream  of  moral  pollution,  originat- 
ing in  Adam,  has  flowed  to  the  human  race  through 
the  mental  channel;  others,  like  PRES.  APPLETON, 
that  its  channel  has  been  through  the  physical  con- 
nection. 

DR.  DWIGHT  says  he  is  unable  to  explain  it,  and 
confesses  he  has  seen  ' '  no  explanation  which  did 
not  leave  the  difficulties  as  great,  and,  for  aught  I 
know,  as  numerous  as  they  were  before." 

DR.  TAYLOR  narrows  down  the  doctrine  to  this — 
' '  I  take  only  this  general  position  as  that,  and  that 
only,  which  the  Scriptures  authorize — that  the  sin- 
fulness  of  mankind  is  in  consequence  of  Adam's  sin." 

DR.  EDWARD  BEECHER  sweeps  even  this  away, 
and  declares  that  ' '  the  doctrine  that  our  depraved 
natures,  or  our  sinful  conduct,  have  been  caused  or 
occasioned  by  the  sin  of  Adam,  is  not  asserted  in  any 
part  of  the  Word  of  God."  Also,  he  declares  that 


66  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

' '  all  attempts  to  explain  the  connection  between  the 
sin  of  Adam  and  the  ruin  of  his  posterity  have  been 
so  unsatisfactory  as  to  create  a  violent  presumption 
that  the  idea  is,  in  itself,  incapable  of  vindication  or 
defense."  And  PRES.  FAIRCHIU),  in  the  Advance 
of  Sept.  1 6,  1869,  makes  this  very  significant  state- 
ment: ' '  The  doctrine  of  the  Fall,  in  its  relation  to 
human  depravity,  is  confessedly  an  open  question." 
And,  perhaps,  among  all  our  modern  theologians 
there  has  not  been  a  more  conservative  man  or  a 
more  close  and  careful  thinker  than  PRES.  FAIR- 
CHILD. 

ARMINIAN  VIEWS. 

Such  are  the  views  of  some  of  the  leading  Calvin- 
istic  theologians.  I^et  us  notice  the  position  of  a 
few  of  the  more  distinguished  of  the  ARMINIAN 
DIVINES. 

Says  ARMINIUS:  "All  those  will  be  saved  who 
have  not  themselves  committed  actual  transgres- 
sions;"  thus  utterly  rejecting  the  doctrine  that  in- 
fants would  be  lost. 

WESLEY,  in  the  early  part  of  his  life,  had  embraced 
the  Augustinian  theology,  for  he  says:  "  By  the  sin 
of  the  first  Adam  we  all  became  children  of  wrath." 
Again:  "We  were  all  born  with  a  sinful,  devilish 
nature."  But  in  subsequent  years  he  appears  to 
have  entirely  changed  his  theological  position,  for 
he  says,  in  his  later  writings:  "  Nothing  is  sin, 
strictly  speaking,  but  a  voluntary  transgression  of  a 
known  law  of  God. ' ' 

Notice  here  the  word  "  known"  plainly  implying 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  67 

that  there  was  no  sin,  nor  the  possibility  of  it,  until 
the  age  of  intelligent  responsibility  was  reached. 

Evidently,  in  his  estimation,  it  was  not  necessarily 
heresy  for  a  man  to  change  his  theological  opinions 
on  this  point.  It  may  not  be  heresy  to  advance  a 
step  further,  and  adopt  our  explanation. 

Says  WATSON:  "Little  children,  until  actual  sin, 
remain  heirs  of  eternal  glory."  Remain  thus — that 
is,  they  are  heirs  of  glory  from  the  mere  fact  of  their 
creation  by  God,  and  remain  so  till  actual  sin. 

Says  DR.  ADAM  CLARK:  ' '  Christ  loves  little  child- 
ren because  He  loves  simplicity  and  innocence. ' ' 

Says  LIMBORCH:  "  Infants  have  a  certain  inclina- 
tion to  sin  which  they  derive,  not  from  Adam,  but 
from  their  next  immediate  parents. ' '  In  this  view 
he  would  apparently  make  the  depravity  of  men  to 
run  back  to  Adam  for  its  prime  origin,  while  he 
would  still  reject  the  theory  of  Augustine,  that  the 
entire  race  existed  in  Adam. 

FLETCHER  probably  phrases  the  prevalent  belief 
correctly  when  he  says:  "  As  Adam  brought  a  gen- 
eral condemnation  and  a  universal  seed  of  death 
[notice,  he  does  not  say  sin\  upon  all,  so  Christ 
brings  upon  them  a  general  justification  and  a  uni- 
versal seed  of  life. ' '  To  this  we  add  that,  if  these 
results  of  God's  visitation  upon  men  for  the  sin  of 
Adam,  as  Fletcher  represents  them,  are  not  to  be 
regarded  as  a  calamity,  there  can  be  no  objection  to 
the  above  statement;  but,  according  to  the  general 
belief,  they  are.  STUART'S  view,  as  he  distinctly 
states  it — and  which  is  only  implied  in  the  above 
quotation  from  FLETCHER — is  that  the  connection 


68  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

with  Adam  is  a  calamity ',  and  that  the  atonement 
of  Christ  comes  in  as  a  ' '  Compensation  ' '  to  make  up 
for  these  previously  inflicted  evils  and  calamities — 
this  "general  condemnation."  But  if  so,  then  God 
was  under  obligation  to  provide  the  atonement;  and 
how,  then,  is  it  a  purely  gracious  dispensation — a 
dorea  en  kariti,  as  the  apostle  terms  it,  and  which 
God  was  under  no  obligation  to  men  to  bestow. 

2.    SCRIPTURE   ARGUMENT. 

The  way  sin  was  proved  by  the  old  divines  to 
have  descended  from  Adam  was  by  making  the 
death  spoken  of  in  Rom.  v  include  death  spiritual 
as  well  as  temporal. 

The  refutation  of  this  exegesis  by  DR.  BEECHER 
in  his  ' '  Conflict  of  Ages ' '  is  exhaustive  and  unan- 
swerable. He  shows  that  this  interpretation  is  not 
found  in  the  early  fathers;  was  not  given  to  the  pass- 
age till  the  fourth  century;  was  never  adopted  by  the 
Greek  Church  at  all;  and,  moreover,  is  entirely  at 
variance  with  the  design  and  scope  of  the  argument. 

But,  if  the  doctrine  of  sin  derived  from  Adam  is 
not  taught  in  Rom.  v,  then  it  is  not  a  doctrine  of 
the  Bible;  for,  as  DR.  BEECHER  says:  "If  these 
things  [depravity  and  disorder  at  birth]  are  not  as- 
serted in  this  passage  to  have  been  caused  by  the  sin 
of  Adam,  then  plainly  they  are  not  asserted  to  have 
been  caused  by  it  at  all  in  any  part  of  the  Word  of 
God;  for  there  is  no  other  passage  of  Scripture  in 
which  it  can  even  be  pretended  with  any  show  of 
probability  whatever  that  these  things  are  asserted. '  '* 

*Altho  indorsing  thus  fully  the  reasoning  of  DR.  BEECHER  upon 
the  connection  of  the  human  race  with  Adam,  and  feeling  that  he  has 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  69 

EXEGESIS   OF  ROMANS  V  :  1 2-1 9. 

The  only  argument  of  any  weight  for  making  the 
death  spoken  of  in  this  passage  include  spiritual  zs,  well 
as  temporal  death,  is  that  it  stands  in  contrast  with  the 
word  life  in  v.  17;  and  as  the  latter  evidently  means 
spiritual  and  eternal  life,  therefore  the  former  must 
mean  spiritual  and  eternal  death.  Answer: 

This  assumes  that  Paul,  in  comparing  the  respect- 
ive works  of  Adam  and  of  Christ,  is  intending  to 
make  a  formal  comparison — to  run  a  careful  and 
exact  parallel  between  the  two,  so  that  what  is  said 
of  the  work  of  the  one  shall  find  an  exact  counter- 
part in  the  work  of  the  other.  But  this  assumption 
is  utterly  without  foundation. 

Now,  let  a  view  be  taken  diametrically  the  oppo- 

done  great  service  to  the  church  in  refuting  the  mischievous  dogma  of 
inherited  depravity,  we  do  not  yet  see  sufficient  reason  to  accept  his 
hypothesis  of  Preexistence.  His  argument  may  be  briefly  stated  as 
follows  : 

1.  Men  are  in  a  sinful,  depraved  or  disordered  condition  at  birth. 

2.  No  beings  can  be  responsible  for  it  but  Ood  and  ourselves. 

3.  "  The  principles  of  honor  and  right "  forbid  us  to  ascribe  it  to  Ood. 
Therefore, 

4.  The  responsibility  must  come  on  us  ;  and  how  can  this  be  unless 
through  a  forfeiture  at  birth  by  sin  committed  by  us  in  a  previous  state 
of  existence? 

If  the  first  of  these  positions  be  granted,  we  rega  rd  the  reasoning  as 
unanswerable  ;  but  this  he  makes  to  rest  solely  on  the  authority  of  the 
past.  He  makes  no  attempt  to  sustain  it  except  by  numerous  quota- 
tions from  ancient  and  modern  writers  and  from  confessions  ef  faith, 
none  of  which  prove  moral  disorder  and  birth ;  but  are  all,  without 
exception,  mere  philosophical  assumptions  in  order  to  account  for  the 
certainty  and  universality  of  human  sinfulness. 

But  if  the  hypothesis  be  accepted  as  herein  advanced,  that  the  occa- 
sion of  sin  in  men  lies  in  the  necessary  nature  of  free  agency,  and  is 
inseparable  from  it,  then  the  certainty  and  universality  of  human  sin- 
fulness  are  accounted  for  without  the  assumption  of  depravity  or  even 
disorder  at  birth  ;  and  the  hypothesis  of  sin  committed  in  a  preexistent 
state  becomes  unnecessary. 


7O  THE   ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

site  of  this.  Let  it  be  assumed  with  equal,  and  even 
superior,  probability  that  the  mind  of  the  apostle,  in 
its  rapid  and  intense  workings  discerning  a  certain 
correspondence  between  the  works  of  Adam  and  of 
Christ,  so  that  one  might  properly  be  considered  in 
some  respects  a  type  (tupos)  of  the  other,  is  catching 
merely  at  those  points  of  comparison  in  which  the 
two  illustrate  each  other  more  or  less  perfectly,  with 
no  thought  of  an  exact  correspondence — a  rigid  and 
formal  comparison — and  the  entire  argument  falls  to 
the  ground.  Certainly  this  is  his  manner  of  writing 
elsewhere.  Witness  the  corresponding  passage  in 
i  Cor.  xv  :  45-49 — the  only  other  passage  in  which 
Adam  and  Christ  are  compared. 

The  first  Adam  was  made  "a  living  soul,"  the 
last  Adam  was  ' '  a  quickening  spirit. ' ' 

The  first  was  "  natural,"  the  last  "  spiritual." 
The  first  was  "earthly,"  the  last  "heavenly." 
Those  who  are  earthly  are  like  Adam;  those  who 
are  heavenly  are  like  Christ. 

Now,  to  assume  that  the  apostle  was  running  a 
careful  and  exact  parallel  between  the  works  of 
Adam  and  of  Christ  in  this  passage  would  be  ab- 
surd. For  example,  assume  that  the  expression  ' '  a 
living  soul ' '  was  intended  precisely  to  correspond 
with  ' '  a  quickening  spirit, ' '  and  then  undertake  to 
ascertain  the  exact  meaning  of  the  one  from  the 
other,  and  the  absurdity  becomes  apparent.  No,  in 
both  passages  the  apostle  is  evidently  catching  only 
at  points  of  resemblance  more  or  less  obvious,  and 
thus  the  word  death  in  Rom.  v  need  not  be  pressed 
to  an  exact  fulness  of  meaning  with  the  word 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  ITS  ORIGIN.  71 

life,  and  allows,  at  least,  of  limitation  to  temporal 
death. 

Verse  19 — "  were  made  sinners." 

This  verse,  as  it  stands  in  our  translation,  teaches 
Universalism  out  and  out,  for  the  unqualified  state- 
ment is  that  as  all  "  were  made  sinners  "  by  Adam, 
so  all  shall  be  made  righteous  by  Christ;  and  if 
"  were  made  "  really  means  what  the  words  imply, 
that  all  men  actually  become  sinners  through  Adam, 
then  all  men  must  actually  become  righteous 
through  Christ,  and  Universalism  is  the  logical 
result. 

Now,  the  word  translated  ' '  were  made  ' '  occurs 
in  the  New  Testament  twenty-one  times.  In  all  the 
other  places  where  Paul  uses  it  it  means  to  ordain  or 
appoint  as  a  ruler,  conductor,  overseer,  judge,  elder, 
or  priest;  but  in  no  other  one  of  them  does  it  mean 
"were  made,"  as  here  translated.  And  in  neither 
of  the  other  three  places  where  it  is  used  by  other 
New  Testament  writers  does  it  necessarily  need  the 
translation  ' '  were  made. ' '  The  exact  meaning  of 
the  word  is  to  put,  place,  or  lay  down — that  is,  to 
put  in  a  position  ;  and  the  meaning  of  the  statement 
in  v.  19,  which  seems  the  most  natural,  is  this — 
That  as  all  are  made  subject  to  temporal  death  for 
Adam's  sin,  and  are  so  far  put  in  the  position  of  sin- 
ners for  his  sake,  so,  by  the  obedience  of  Christ,  all 
are  put  in  the  position  of  the  righteous  so  far  as  to  re- 
ceive with  them  the  benefits  of  Christ's  redemption — 
the  offer  of  pardon  and  the  blessings  of  probation.* 


*  The  paraphrase  of  KNIGHT  on  this  passage  is  as  follows  :  "  For  as 
by  one  man's  (Adam's)  offense  the  multitudes  who  have  peopled  this 


72  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

A  condensed  summary  of  the  entire  passage  is  as 
follows: 

First — The  apostle  says  (v.  12)  that  by  one  man 
sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  entered  by  it, 
and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men — that  is,  the  con- 
demning sentence  of  temporal  death  was  passed  upon 
the  entire  race  for  Adam's  sin.  ' '  In  Adam  all  die. ' ' 
(i  Cor.  xv :  22.)  "By  one  man's  offense  death 
reigned'' — that  is,  the  mortality  which  Adam 
incurred  by  sinning  was  transmitted,  by  God's  ar- 
rangement, to  the  entire  race. 

In  other  words,  God  determined  that  Adam,  inas- 
much as  he  had  become  mortal  by  sinning,  should 
beget  only  mortal  descendants.  Hence  the  state- 
ment, "  As  in  Adam  all  die."  (i  Cor.  xv  :  22.) 

Secondly — He  represents  the  work  of  Christ  as 
equaling,  and  even  in  some  respects  surpassing,  in 
its  effects  the  results  of  Adam's  sin.  For  example — 

V.  15.  By  one,  death  comes  to  all;  by  One 
grace  abounds  to  all. 

V.  1 6.  "  The  judgment ' '  — the  condemning  sen- 
tence of  temporal  death  —  follows  "one"  offense; 
the  "  free  gift  "  follows  "many." 


world  have  been  placed  in  the  position  of  sinners  by  being  handed  over 
to  death,  so,  by  the  obedience  of  Oi;e,  even  Christ,  shall  the  same  multi- 
tudes be  placed  in  the  position  of  righteous  persons  so  far  as  to  be  raised 
from  death,"  limiting  thus,  as  it  would  appear,  the  universal  conse- 
quences of  Christ's  death  to  the  resurrection  of  all  men  from  the  dead. 
Perhaps  the  more  extended  view  of  STUART  is  preferable.  He  repre- 
sents the  consequences  of  Christ's  death  to  the  entire  race  thus — "A 
state  of  renewed  and  peculiar  probation,  attended  with  many  privileges 
and  blessings,  with  the  proffer  of  eternal  life  and  glory  procured  for 
our  guilty  race  by  the  lyord  Jesus  Christ."  This  certainly  is  a  fair  and 
consistent  interpretation,  and  meets  all  that  the  passage  necessarily 
requires. 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  73 

V.  17.  By  one  sinner,  and  he  a  mere  man, 
death  temporal  reigns;  much  more  by  the  Infinite 
Savior,  the  elect  shall  reign  in  life  eternal. 

V.  18.  By  "one  offense "  (Greek)  all  come 
under  a  condemning  sentence  of  temporal  death;  by 
"one  righteousness"  (Greek)  all  come  under  a 
provision  designed  and  adapted  for  justification  unto 
life. 

V.  19.  As,  therefore,  by  the  disobedience  of  one 
all  are  put  in  the  position  of  ' '  sinners  ' '  (by  thus 
suffering  temporal  death  for  his  sin),  so,  by  the 
obedience  of  One,  all  are  put  in  the  position  of  the 
' '  righteous  ' '  (by  the  blessings  they  enjoy  in  com- 
mon with  them) . 

V.  20.  This  verse  should  be  especially  noticed  in 
its  bearings  on  the  doctrine  of  hereditary  depravity. 
In  v.  12  sin  entered  (eiselthe}  and  death  entered  by 
it.  Now,  v.  20,  the  law  {pareiseltheti)  entered  in 
addition,  so  that  (as  a  consequence)  the  fall  {parap- 
toma)  "abounded" — filled  up,  extended,  filled  up 
the  world;  but  grace  met  even  this  additional  exi- 
gency, so  that  even  where  "sin  abounded  grace 
superabounded. ' ' 

[NOTE. — If  we  are  to  believe  that  the  fall  extended 
beyond  Adam — "abounded" — embraced  the  race 
for  the  reason  that  his  descendants  were  connected  with 
him,  then  here  in  this  2oth  verse,  if  anywhere,  we 
should  expect  that  doctrine  would  be  stated.  But 
this  verse  says  nothing  about  it,  and  only  mentions, 
as  the  occasion  of  this  universal  sinfulness,  that  the 
law  came  in — either  natural  or  revealed,  or  both — im- 
plying that  men  now  become  sinners  just  as  Adam 


74  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

did,  by  an  intelligent  transgression  of  it;  no  allusion 
being  made  directly  or  indirectly  to  him  as  the  occa- 
sion of  this  universal  sinfulness.] 

V.  2 1 .  That  as  sin  hath  reigned  in  or  with  death 
temporal  (en  to  thanatd),  meaning,  perhaps,  in  con- 
nection with  it — attended  by  it — and  commensurate 
in  extent  with  it,  so  might  grace  reign  through 
righteousness  unto  life  eternal — that  is,  sin  reigns 
unto  death  temporal,  while  grace  reigns  unto  life 
eternal.  Thus  the  apostle  shows  that,  at  every 
point,  the  system  of  Grace  through  Christ  had  tran- 
scended in  blessings  to  mankind;  the  entire  train  of 
evils  that  had  come  upon  the  race  from  the  sin  of 
Adam. 

3.    ARGUMENT   FROM   REASON. 

But  it  is  asserted  on  the  ground  of  reason  that 
human  sinfulness  is  derived  from  Adam.  It  appears, 
it  is  said,  that  the  child  inherits  the  depraved  consti- 
tution of  the  parent,  and,  therefore,  that  depravity 
is  thus  handed  down  from  parent  to  child,  and  hence 
must  run  back  finally  to  a  depraved  ancestor  for  its 
origin.  Answer: 

The  child  inherits  from  the  parent  four  things  ; 
not  always,  but  generally: 

1.  Physical  peculiarities,  as  of  feature  and  com- 
plexion. 

2.  Mental  peculiarities,  as  of  strength  or  weakness 
or  aptitude  for  particular  studies. 

3.  Peculiarities  of  disposition;  wilful  and  head- 
strong parents  generally  having  similarly  constituted 
children. 

4.  Depraved  tastes  also,  like  the  appetite  in  the 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS   ORIGIN.  75 

parent  for  intoxicating  drink,  or  any  other  vicious 
indulgence. 

But  the  primary  occasion  of  sin,  as  we  have  seen, 
lies  back  of  all  these  in  the  constitutional  nature  of 
the  moral  being;  and  this  occasion  is  only  modified 
in  its  external  manifestations  by  the  parental  con- 
nection; so  that  all  we  know  with  certainty  respect- 
ing this  matter  is  that  parental  peculiarities  are  apt 
to  determine  what  particular  form  the  sin  of  the 
child  shall  take — that  is,  no  matter  who  or  what  the 
parents  may  be,  the  child  will  certainly  sin,  and  the 
sin  be  sure  to  take  some  form;  but  the  peculiar  form 
is  very  apt  to  be  determined  by  the  mental  and 
physical  habits  of  either  or  both  parents,  so  that  the 
form  of  sin,  and  not  the  sin  itself,  is  all  that  can 
rightly  be  charged  to  parental  connection.  Adam 
and  the  angels  both  sinned  without  any  depraved 
ancestor;  and  a  child,  with  no  parental  connection, 
were  the  thing  possible,  or  placed  in  any  other 
possible  circumstances  at  this  stage  of  the  creation 
than  those  in  which  he  is  placed,  would  undoubtedly 
do  the  same.* 


*  It  will  be  obvious  to  the  theological  student  that  we  have  adopted, 
as  a  philosophical  basis,  the  doctrine  of  Creationism  rather  than  that 
of  Traduciaiiism  ;  for  altho,  as  Prof.  Shedd  observes,  "the  dodtrineof 
Traducianism  is  unquestionably  more  accordant  with  that  of  Origi- 
nal Sin  than  that  of  Creationism,"  still  we  are  not  able  to  see  that  as  a 
philosophical  hypothesis  it  explains  and  harmonizes  as  many  of  the 
facts  of  Reason  and  Revelation  as  that  of  Creationism.  Indeed,  as  an 
hypothesis  it  applies  only  to  the  human  race,  while  that  of  Creationism 
admits  of  application  to  this  world,  and  to  all  worlds  forever. 

Whether,  however,  the  theory  of  Creationism  or  Traducianism  be 
adopted,  makes  no  difference  with  the  point  in  question.  For  suppose 
souls  are  propagated,  the'  only  necessary  inference  is  that  Adam  begat 
a  son  like  himself — a  free,  moral  agent,  and  as  such  having  in  him  the 


j6  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

4.    THE    HYPOTHESIS  NOT  TO   BE  ENTERTAINED. 

The  doctrine,  therefore,  that  men  sin  from  a  con- 
nection with  Adam,  is  taught  neither  by  Reason  nor 
Revelation,  and  is  a  mere  hypothesis  of  human  inven- 
tion to  account  for  the  certainty  and  universality  of 
human  sinfulness.  And  now  regarding  it  as  an 
hypothesis  merely,  it  is  useless,  unreasonable,  mis- 
chievous, and  every  way  objectionable. 

1 .  It  is  useless.     For  the  sole  value  of  an  hypoth- 
esis lies  in  its  accounting  for  facts.     Now,  we  have 
three  facts  or  instances  of  sin — the  angels,  Adam, 
and  ourselves;  and  the  hypothesis  accounts  only  for 
our  sin,  leaving  the  other  two  instances  with  no 
explanation  whatever.     And  what  is  an  hypothesis 
worth  that  explains  only  one-third  of  the  fadls  ? 

2.  It  is  unreasonable.     Much  confusion  has  arisen 
in  theological  discussion  from  not  properly  discrim- 
inating between  human  nature  and  human  character. 
Men  often  say  that  human  nature  is  bad  when  they 
only  mean  human  character. 

Now,  properly  speaking,  human  nature  is  what 
God  makes  men  to  be  by  virtue  of  their  creation. 
Human  character  is  what  men  make  themselves  to  be 
by  their  own  acting. 

Human  nature  God  makes  ' '  in  His  own  image. ' ' 
"Men  made  after  the  similitude  of  God."  (James 
iii :  9.)  Human  character  men  make  after  another 
pattern  ;  as  our  Savior  said:  ' '  Ye  are  of  your  father 


same  occasion  of  sin  that  Adam  himself  had,  and  that  the  angels  had ; 
and  that  the  son  sinned,  not  because  descended  from  a  depraved  an- 
cestor, but  simply  and  solely  because  he  v,-as  a  moral  being,  and  sinned 
for  the  same  reason  that  Adam  and  the  angels  did. 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS   ORIGIN.  77 

the  Devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do." 
(John  viii :  44. ) 

Human  nature,  therefore,  or  what  men  are  at  birth, 
is  Godlike;  human  character,  or  what  men  make 
themselves  afterward,  is  devilish. 

(i)  Human  nature.  This  is  the  nature  God  gives 
men.  That  men  are  made  "  after  the  similitude  of 
God ' '  means  that  they  have  powers  of  thinking, 
feeling,  and  acting — an  intellect  to  know  and  under- 
stand God,  sensibilities  wherewith  to  love  Him,  and 
a  will  to  choose  His  service.  This  is  God's  image 
in  the  soul.  This  is  the  nature  God  gives  every 
moral  being,  and  for  whatever  a  man  has  in  him  at 
birth  God  alone  is  responsible.  Therefore,  to  say, 
as  some  do,  that  men  are  born  sinful — that  they  have 
at  birth  a  "  sinful  nature" — is  to  trace  that  sinful 
nature  directly  to  the  Almighty,  and  make  Him  its 
responsible  author.  Moreover,  it  is  a  statement  so 
absurd  in  itself  that  nothing  can  be  more  so.  For 
if  a  man  is  born  a  sinner,  then  he  can  not  avoid  being 
a  sinner;  and,  if  he  can  not  avoid  it,  then  he  is  not  to 
blame  for  it;  and  if  he  is  not  to  blame  for  it,  then  he 
is  innocent ;  and  we  have  the  manifest  absurdity  of 
a  sinful  innocence,  or  an  innocent  sinfulness.  With 
the  same  propriety  might  we  speak  of  an  honest 
thief  or  a  truthful  liar. 

Also,  "  sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law;  "  and 
how  can  a  being  transgress  law  when  too  immature 
and  undeveloped  even  to  know  what  law  is  ? 

Others,  therefore,  would  not  say  that  the  infant 
was  born  sinful,  but  only  that  he  inherits  a  depraved 
nature,  because  he  will  certainly  sin  by  and  by.  And 


78  THE   ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

such  often  speak  of  the  infant  in  terms  of  reproba 
tion,  calling  him  "a  little  viper,"  for  example,  only 
undeveloped  as  yet.  This  is  wicked.  It  is  tradu- 
cing God's  image  in  the  soul.  It  was  certain  that 
Adam  would  eventually  sin,  but  think  of  God  as 
calling  him  a  viper — a  moral  monster  during  his 
innocence  because  he  would  sin  at  some  future  time, 
thus  casting  reflection  on  His  own  work. 

There  is  no  reason  for  calling  the  infant  depraved 
because  he  will  sin  any  more  than  there  would  have 
been  for  calling  Adam  depraved  before  his  fall,  be- 
cause he  would  sin  eventually.  Such  statements 
respecting  the  infant  are  unreasonable.  There  is  no 
depravity  in  any  being  but  such  as  results  from  re- 
sponsible sinning;  and  no  other  sinful  character  is 
possible  but  such  as  results  from  an  intelligent  and 
wilful  transgression  of  the  law  of  God;  and  the  idea 
of  inherited  sinfulness,  or  even  inherited  depravity, 
as  the  expression  is  generally  understood,  violates 
our  necessary  ideas  of  moral  and  responsible  action. 

(2)  Human  character.  This  is  ever  the  result  of 
intelligent,  voluntary,  and  responsible  choice.  This 
every  man  creates  for  himself  by  voluntarily  choos- 
ing; and  when  carried  out  into  action  is  called  con- 
duct, and  no  true  character  is  possible  before  this 
intelligent  choice.  A  good  character  is  the  result  of 
obedience  to  law,  and  a  bad  character  is  the  result  of 
disobedience  to  law;  and  no  other  moral  character  is 
possible  or  conceivable.  Created  holiness  or  created 
sinfulness  is,  therefore,  an  absurdity.  And  when 
theologians  say,  as  they  so  often  do,  that  Adam  was 
created  holy,  they  use  language  with  no  intelligible 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  79 

meaning.     A  moral  being,  at  the  time  of  his  crea- 
tion, can  be  only  innocent. 
(3)  It  is  mischievous. 

1 .  It  impugns  the  benevolence  of  God.     The  very 
first  question  of  theology  is,   ' '  Who  made  you  ? ' ' 
Answer,  "  God."     And  He  made  me  as  I  am,  so 
that  everything  in  me  at  birth  is  His  work,  even  all 
the  consequences  of  parental  sinfulness.     This  He 
claims.     "/  visit  the  iniquities  of  the  parents  upon 
the  children."     Therefore,  for  all  that  is  in  us  at 
birth  God  alone  is  responsible,  and  if  depravity  \K 
inherited,  then  is  He  its  responsible  author.     And 
how  can  such  an  arrangement  be  reconciled  with 
infinite  and  perfect  benevolence  ?    Every  Christian 
shrinks  from  saying  that  GOD  is  the  responsible 
author  of  depravity. 

2.  It  hinders  the  Spirit's  work  of  conviction  of 
sin.     If  men  under  conviction  of  sin  are  taught  that 
they  are  born  with  a  depravity,  or  tendency  to  sin, 
or  hindrances  in  themselves  to  right  living  and  act- 
ing, of  which  God  is  the  responsible  author,  the  very 
next  thought  is  that  they  are  not  entirely  to  blame 
for  their  sinful  conduct.     They  must  be,  to  some  ex- 
tent, excusable.     And  the  writer  has  known  lamen- 
table instances  where  conviction  of  sin  has  been  thus 
stifled.     Is  it  said  in  reply  that  powerful  revivals 
of  religion  have  occurred  under  such  preaching? 
Granted;  but  only  in  spite  of  it  and  through  the  in- 
fluence of  other  Bible  truth  which  the  Spirit  could 
use.     Revivals  have  increased  in  number  and  in 
power  where  such  doctrines  have  been  omitted  in 
preaching. 


80  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

3.  It  embarrasses  the  dodlrine  of  the  true  human- 
ity of  Christ.     The  Scriptures  teach  that  Christ  was 
"made  in  all  things  "  like  us;  and  if  we  inherit  de- 
pravity at  birth,  then  He  did;  and  we  never  say  that 
Christ  inherited  depravity. 

4.  It  has  a  calamitous  bearing  upon  the  dodlrine 
of  Future  Punishment.     It  is  believed  that  the  wave 
of  Universalism  that  is  now  sweeping  over  the  Or- 
thodox Churches,  and  threatening  to  overwhelm  the 
system  of  evangelical  faith,  is  due,  to  a  very  great 
extent,  to  the  general  belief  in  this  dodlrine  of  He- 
reditary Depravity. 

To  hold  and  teach  in  the  first  place  that  God  has 
connected  the  human  race  with  a  depraved  ancestor, 
by  virtue  of  which  connection  He  pours  one  stream 
of  moral  pollution  down  through  the  entire  race, 
and  then,  in  the  very  next  breath,  that  He  damns 
men  eternally  for  being  sinners — (and  this  is  pre- 
cisely the  shape  in  which  the  dodlrine  lies  in  the 
minds  of  vast  numbers  of  professing  Christians, 
even,  as  it  is  believed,  in  the  minds  of  a  very  large 
majority) — is  so  manifestly  inconsistent  with  the 
didlates  of  benevolence  that  men  have  come  to  feel 
quite  generally  that  either  the  dodlrine  of  Hereditary 
Depravity,  or  the  dodlrine  of  Endless  Punishment 
must  be  given  up;  and  they  have  begun,  all  over  the 
land,  to  give  up  the  latter,  and  to  conclude  that  the 
dodlrine  of  Endless  Punishment  is  ' '  intrinsically  ab- 
surd; "  even  more,  that  it  is  unjust,  unreason- 
able, and  inconsistent  with  the  Divine  benevolence. 
And  it  is  believed  that  the  main  reason  why  the 
members  of  our  Orthodox  Churches  are,  to  so  great 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS   ORIGIN.  8l 

an  extent,  rejecting  the  doctrine  of  endless  punish- 
ment is  their  belief  in  this  doctrine  of  hereditary 
depravity. 

Here  was  the  miserable  starting  point  of  John 
Foster,  and  which  involved  his  own  mind  in  such 
inextricable  confusion  on  the  doctrine  of  Future 
Punishment. 

Accepting  the  teachings  of  the  theologians  upon 
the  doctrine  of  Hereditary  Depravity,  he  says: 

"But,  still,  what  is  man?  He  comes  into  this 
world  with  a  nature  fatally  corrupt,  and  powerfully 
tending  to  actual  evil."  And  then,  again,  drawing 
his  views  from  the  same  source,  he  contemplates  the 
Almighty  as  "bringing,  of  His  own  sovereign  will, 
a  race  of  creatures  into  existence  in  such  condition 
that  they  certainly  will  and  must — must  by  their 
nature  and  circumstances — go  wrong. ' ' 

No  wonder  that,  from  such  premises,  he  should 
say,  respecting  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment, 
' '  I  acknowledge  my  inability  to  admit  this  belief, 
together  with  a  belief  in  the  Divine  goodness. ' ' 

The  experience  of  Henry  Ward  Beecher  was  sim- 
ilar. In  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  rejected  the  doc- 
trine of  Endless  Punishment,  and  he  says  of  him- 
self that  "  the  revolution  in  his  educational  belief" 
was  owing  to  a  necessary  recoil  "  from  the  old  scho- 
lastic theology  which  made  sin  spring  from  a  corrupt 
nature  —  a  nature  corrupted  through  the  fall  of 
Adam."  And  no  wonder  that  multitudes  in  our 
evangelical  Churches,  starting  from  the  same  pre- 
mises, should  conclude  that  the  doctrine  in  question 
is  irreconcilable  with  the  Divine  benevolence;  even 


82  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

treat  it  with  ridicule  and  contempt,  and  call  it  "in- 
trinsically absurd. ' '  Indeed,  there  is  no  alternative. 
Either  the  doctrine  of  Hereditary  Depravity,  as  com- 
monly accepted,  must  be  given  up,  or  else  the  doc- 
trine of  Future  Punishment  must  be  given  up. 

4.  The  doctrine  is  exceedingly  objectionable  in  all 
respects. 

The  Bible  declares  that  God  ' '  hates  all  workers 
of  iniquity;  "  and  yet  this  doctrine  represents  Him 
as  aiming,  at  the  very  outset  of  the  race,  to  make 
all  mankind  just  such  ' '  workers  of  iniquity. ' ' 

He  commands  men  to  be  holy — "  Be  ye  holy  for  I 
am  holy;  " — and  yet  is  represented  as  planning  at 
the  outset  to  have  them  unholy  by  connecting  them 
with  a  depraved  ancestor. 

He  is  represented  as  laying  a  sure  foundation  for 
their  sinning,  and  then  commanding  them  to  hate 
sin  and  repent  of  it. 

He  makes  an  arrangement  which  results  in  bring- 
ing the  entire  race  under  the  power  and  dominion 
of  sin,  and  then  makes  an  infinite  sacrifice  in  Re- 
demption to  deliver  them  from  its  power.  Many  of 
our  distinguished  theologians — STUART,  for  exam- 
ple— regard  the  matter  in  just  this  light.  They 
hold  that  the  connecting  of  the  race  with  Adam  is, 
in  itself,  a  calamity,  and  that  the  Atonement  comes 
in  as  a  "  Compensation  ' '  to  make  up  for  these  pre- 
viously-inflicted evils  and  calamities.  But  if  so, 
then — as  has  already  been  said — God  was  under  ob- 
ligation to  men  to  provide  an  Atonement — not  merely 
under  obligation  to  His  own  benevolence,  but  to  the 
sinners  themselves.  But  how,  then,  is  it  a  purely 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  83 

gracious  dispensation  —  a  dorea  en  chariti,  as  the 
apostle  terms  it — "  a  gift  by  grace,"  a  "  free  gift  " 
(Rom.  v:  15,  16),  and  which  God  was  under  no 
obligation  to  men  to  bestow  ?  This  robs  it  of  its 
crowning  glory  as  being  a  scheme  of  pure  mercy; 
even  it  represents  the  Almighty  as  inflicting  on  the 
race  a  great  calamity,  and  then  making  up  for  His 
own  bad  work  by  the  Plan  of  Redemption. 

In  brief  review  of  these  last  two  points — Heredi- 
tary Depravity  and  Evolution — let  it  be  added — 

That  to  hold  that  men  are  born  depraved — that 
they  derive  their  tendency  to  sin  from  their  connec- 
tion with  sinful  Adam,  of  which  connection  God  is 
manifestly  the  responsible  author,  is  to  make  the 
doctrine  of  Endless  Punishment  logically  impossi- 
ble; and  the  Churches  which  have  held  to  both  doc- 
trines have  done  so  by  a  logical  inconsistency;  and 
John  Foster's  reasoning  from  his  premises  was  logical 
and  right.  Endless  Punishment  for  sin  can  not,  in 
such  circumstances,  be  rightly  inflicted. 

Also,  to  hold,  with  the  Evolutionists,  that  men 
get  their  tendency  to  sin  from  a  ' '  semibrutal  char- 
acter, ' '  derived  from  the  animal  creation  from  which 
they  are  said  to  have  sprung,  making  sin  a  ' '  neces- 
sary concomitant  of  the  evolutionary  process;  "  or  a 
something  that  ' '  God  has  fastened  upon  us,  "is  to 
make  sin  unavoidable,  and  Endless  Punishment  for 
it  logically  impossible. 

Again,  Paul  says,  in  Rom.  i :  18:  "The  wrath  of 
God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness 
and  unrighteousness  of  men. ' '  But  now  to  speak  of 
the  wrath  of  God  against  a  man  for  acting  out  the 


84  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

very  nature  that  He  gave  him,  either  by  connecting 
him  with  sinful  Adam,  or  with  the  brute  creation, 
not  only  impugns  the  benevolence  of  God,  but  ren- 
ders the  defense  of  his  conduct  impossible. 

Moreover,  both  of  these  schemes  give  a  good  rea- 
son for  the  sin  committed,  and,  therefore,  neither  of 
them  can  be  the  true  reason.  For  Endless  Punish- 
ment for  sin  can  in  no  way  be  made  to  appear  log- 
ically consistent  with  benevolence,  except  as  the 
responsibility  for  the  sin  is  made  to  rest  entirely  upon 
the  sinner;  and  the  effort  has  been  in  this  chapter  to 
make  it  thus.  And  in  the  view  herein  presented, 
when  he  is  arraigned  at  the  bar  of  final  judgment 
for  his  sin,  he  will  be  speechless. 

5.    THE    REAL,  CONSEQUENCES  OF    ADAM'S    SIN    TO 
THE    RACE. 

1.  Temporal  death.     Adam  having  sinned,  an  im- 
mortality on  earth  for  him  was  not  desirable;  and 
hence  the  sentence  of  temporal  death  on  him. 

Then,  as  the  race  would  be  sinful  in  any  possible 
circumstances,  God  determined  to  so  connect  them 
with  Adam  that  he  should  beget  only  mortal  de- 
scendants like  himself — so  that  their  mortality 
should  be  the  result  of  this  connection;  and  thus, 
all  men  died  in  him  ;  immortality  on  earth  to  them, 
as  a  sinful  race,  being  as  calamitous  an  arrangement 
as  for  Adam;  therefore  the  statement,  "As  in  Adam 
all  die"  (i  Cor.  xv  :  22) — that  is  mortality  is  in- 
herited from  mortal  Adam. 

2.  Physical  labor  and  toil.     "  In  the  sweat  of  thy 
face  shalt  thou  eat  bread."     (Gen.  iii :  19.)     And 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  85 

all  know  that  the  necessity  for  continuous  labor  is 
one  of  the  greatest  blessings  to  a  world  of  sinners. 

3.  Physical  evils  of  various  kinds — pain,  suffering, 
disease,  and  wretchedness,   coming    on    men,   not 
merely  on  account  of  Adam's  sin,  but  the  sins  of 
their  immediate  parentage,  and  coming  thus  mainly 
perhaps,  to  make  men  fear  sin  from  seeing  its  terri- 
ble consequences  in  those  they  most  love. 

4.  Another  consequence  of  the  parental  relation 
to  the  race  is  a  tendency  to  indulgence  in  the  same 
forms  of  sin  of  which  the  parent  is  guilty.     The 
child  will  sin  any  way,  but  the  particular  form  which 
the  sin  shall  take  may  be  determined,  or  at  least 
modified,  by  the  sin  of  the  parent.     This  is  all  that 
can  be  proved  either  from  reason  or  revelation.     And 
whatever  this  hereditary  result  may  be,  there  is  no  rea- 
son for  assuming  it  to  be  a  calamity,  for  without  this 
parental  connection  it  may  be  certain  that  the  child 
would  sin  in  some  other  and  worse  way — sin,  per- 
haps, as  the  Devil  did — from  the  impulses  of  his 
original  constitution  merely,  and  perhaps  be  thrown 
by  it,  as  he  was,  beyond  the  possibility  of  repentance 
and  pardon. 

Now,  the  point  to  be  especially  noticed  in  respect 
to  all  the  foregoing  results  of  the  parental  connec- 
tion is,  that  they  are  to  be  regarded  as  the  evil  con- 
sequences of  sin  to  the  child,  and  not  as  the  cause  of 
his  sin.  Not  one  of  them  is  designed  in  any  way  to 
perpetuate  sin,  but  to  hinder  it.  They  are  designed 
by  the  Almighty  to  create  in  the  heart  of  humanity 
a  fear  of  sin — a  dread  to  commit  it  on  account  of 
these  consequences — and  thus  to  accumulate  obstacles 


86  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

in  the  way  of  its  commission,  and  bring  out  in 
bolder  and  stronger  relief  the  beauty  of  holiness, 
"whose  ways  are  pleasantness,  and  all  of  whose 
paths  are  peace. ' ' 

The  doctrine  of  Hereditary  Depravity  has  thus 
been  treated  at  some  considerable  length  because  it 
has  such  a  vital  connection  with  the  main  design  of 
this  book,  and  we  now  resume  the  general  subject. 

II.   Characteristics  of  Sin. 
SEC.  i. — Sin  is  a  wicked  principle  of  the  heart. 

A  sinful  heart  is  one  in  which  there  is  a  settled  de- 
termination to  have  its  own  will  and  way,  irrespect- 
ive of  the  will  and  pleasure  of  the  Almighty.  ' '  The 
wicked  through  the  pride  of  his  countenance  will 
not  seek  after  God.  God  is  not  in  all  his  thoughts. ' ' 
(Ps.  x  :  4) — i.  e. ,  not  in  any  of  his  thoughts.  Sin  is 
selfishness,  and  selfishness  sacrifices  the  higher  good 
to  its  own  inferior  interests  and  pleasure;  and  with 
this  wicked  principle  within,  a  man  is  ready  to  sacri- 
fice even  the  interests  of  God's  kingdom  whenever 
they  interfere  with  his  own  pleasure.  But 

2.  In  God's  arrangement  of  this  world  this  selfish 
principle  is  under  great  and  constant  restraint,  and 
men  are,  to  a  very  great  extent,  prevented  from  act- 
ing out  their  selfishness,  so  that  the  external  conduct 
even  of  a  wicked  man,  is  oftentimes  not  dictated  by 
this  selfish  principle,  but  by  other  principles  and 
motives  which  God  has  implanted  in  the  very  nature 
of  a  moral  being,  and  in  the  workings  of  human 
society.  God  has  created  a  vast  amount  of  moral 
machinery  in  this  world  to  restrain  the  outworkings 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS   ORIGIN.  87 

of  this  selfish  principle,  and  thus  to  promote  human 
happiness  and  the  general  welfare,  and  secure  the 
beautiful  and  beneficent  results  which  we  see  about 
us.  For  example,  a  man  can  rot  but  have  a  regard 
for  his  own  temporal  welfare,  and  his  business  pros- 
perity; he  has  necessarily  a  degree  of  self-respect,  a 
love  of  approbation — a  desire  for  the  good  opinion  of 
his  fellow-men,  the  love  of  justice,  the  dislike  of 
suffering,  and  a  wish  to  relieve  it;  he  encounters  the 
relations  of  domestic  life — the  family  and  the  home; 
he  meets  the  restraints  of  government  in  the  family, 
the  state,  and  the  nation;  the  laws  and  usages  of 
society,  and  a  constitutional  amiability  strongly  in- 
fluence him.  All  these  are  ever  working  to  obstruct 
the  outbreaking  of  sin,  and  to  restrain  the  acting  out 
of  the  selfish  principle  within,  so  that,  altho  a  wicked 
man  at  heart,  his  conduct,  in  the  estimation  of  men, 
is  often  praiseworthy,  and  he  is  held  up  as  a  pattern 
of  goodness  and  benevolence. 

But  this  is  all  God's  work,  and  He  only  is  to  be 
commended  for  the  beautiful  and  beneficent  results 
which  appear  in  the  workings  of  human  society. 
They  are  due  to  the  workings  of  the  great  moral 
machinery  which  He  has  devised  and  set  in  opera- 
tion to  make  human  existence  possible,  and  especi- 
ally to  make  this  world,  notwithstanding  human 
wickedness,  a  world  of  mercy  and  probation.  With- 
out these  restraints  on  human  selfishness,  human 
life  would  be  unendurable.  They  are  all  God's 
restraint  upon  the  outworkings  of  human  depravity. 
Nevertheless 

3.  A  man's  character,    as  estimated  by  the  Al- 


88  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

mighty,  is  always  determined  by  the  ruling  princi- 
ple of  the  heart  in  its  relations  to  himself,  and  not  by 
the  external  conduct.  "Man  looketh  on  the  out- 
ward appearance,  but  God  looketh  on  the  heart. ' '  If 
a  man  has  no  settled  principle  of  obedience  to  Him, 
He  considers  him  wicked  throughout;  and  none  of 
his  external,  commendable  acts,  as  men  regard  them, 
are  of  any  account  in  His  estimate  of  the  man's 
character.  Hence,  Paul  says:  "  Tho  I  bestow  all 
my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  tho  I  give  my  body 
to  be  burned,  and  have  not  charity  " — the  principle 
of  love  and  obedience  to  God — "it  profiteth  me 
nothing."  (i  Cor.  xiii  13.)  Men  may  reckon  him 
good  on  account  of  his  benevolent  acts  towards  his 
fellow-men,  but  God  regards  him  as  wicked  on  ac- 
count of  his  being  all  the  while  careless  and  neglect- 
ful of  his  relations  to  Him.  Notwithstanding  his 
external  benevolence,  the  wicked  principle  within 
his  heart  has  not  been  renounced,  and  God  reckons 
him  a  wicked  man  all  the  while,  and  in  all  his 
doings.  "The  plowing  of  the  wicked  is  sin." 
(Prov.  xxi  14.)  Also  his  rebellion  against  himself 
represses  all  other  feelings  of  complacency  with  his 
otherwise  commendable  external  conduct.  What 
cares  the  great  central  government  of  a  nation 
whether  the  head  of  a  rebellion  be  a  good  husband, 
father,  and  neighbor  or  not,  while  he  is  aiming  to 
destroy  the  nation,  and  rend  its  grand  and  glorious 
fabric  in  pieces  ?  And  when  arraigned  for  his  trea- 
son, who  would  think  of  urging  his  domestic  virtues 
in  extenuation  of  his  mighty,  public  wrong? 

4.  Hence,  all  who  are  not  Christians  are  down- 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS    ORIGIN.  89 

right  enemies  of  God.  ' '  He  that  is  not  with  Me  is 
against  Me."  (Matt,  xii  :  30.)  This  divides  the 
whole  universe  of  moral  beings  into  two  classes — the 
righteous  and  the  wicked.  There  is  no  neutral 
ground.  All  are  downright  friends  or  downright 
enemies  of  God,  depending  wholly  on  the  ruling 
principle  of  the  heart. 

SEC.  2.  This  selfish  principle  exerts  a  predominat- 
ing power  over  the  moral  nature. 

It  not  merely  exists  in  it,  but  so  thoroughly  dom- 
inates it  that  a  free  being  will  do  and  dare  anything 
before  he  will  give  up  his  own  will  and  way.  Illus- 
trations of  this  are  abundant.  The  rebel  angels 
dared  the  wrath  of  God  rather  than  give  up  their 
own  will  and  way.  Adam  in  the  garden  did  the 
same.  We  witness  the  same  thing  now  in  the  rebel- 
lion of  the  child  against  parental  authority.  What 
terrible  collision  often  results  !  What  determination 
on  the  part  of  the  child  !  What  desperation — the 
struggle  protradled  for  hours  before  the  point  of 
yielding  is  reached.  Also  take  the  world  over,  the 
last  thing  men  will  give  up  is  their  own  wills. 
Even  persons  of  great  constitutional  amiability  not 
unfrequently  find  a  terrible  struggle  in  submitting 
to  God,  and  becoming  true  Christians ;  while  the 
mass  of  men  will  not  even  attempt  submission,  and 
dare  the  attitude  of  persistent  and  life-long  rebellion 
against  the  Almighty.  And  this  attitude  of  hostil- 
ity to  God,  and  resistance  to  his  authority,  is  not 
the  result  of  ignorance.  The  child  of  pious  parents, 
educated  to  believe  the  Bible,  and  who  has  never 
doubted  for  a  moment  the  doctrine  of  the  endless 


go  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

punishment  of  the  wicked,  will  yet  go  on  in  sin  day 
after  day  for  years,  believing  all  the  while  that  he  is 
daring  by  it  the  wrath  of  God,  and  risking  his  eternal 
salvation.  And  he  will  knowingly  incur  this  infin- 
ite danger  rather  than  give  up  his  own  will  and 
submit  to  God. 

And  so  strong  is  this  wilful  purpose  of  rebellion, 
that  when  long  persevered  in  by  wicked  men,  the 
Bible  likens  its  surrender  to  matters  of  utter  impos- 
sibility— "Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or 
the  leopard  his  spots,  then  may  ye  also  do  good  who 
are  accustomed  to  do  evil."  (Jer.  13  :  23.) 

SEC.  3.      The  exceeding  sinful-ness  of  sin. 

The  mere  inclination  in  a  moral  being  to  have  his 
own  way,  is  not  sin,  being  inseparable  from  the 
nature  of  a  free  moral  agent ;  but  the  sin  comes  in 
when  that  inclination  is  followed  by  a  determination 
to  have  his  own  way,  amounting  to  an  internal  and 
spiritual  rebellion  against  the  restraints  of  God's 
Law  and  authority.  This  is  then  carried  out  into 
action  and  involves — 

1.  Disobedience  to  the  commands  laid  upon  him. 
The  command,  in  the  case  of  the  Fallen  Angels  was 
perhaps,    ' '  not  to  leave  their  own  habitation  ; ' '   for 
this  is  what  in  Jude  6,  they  are  declared  to  have 
done.     In  the  case  of  Adam  it  was,   ' '  Thou  shalt 
not  eat  of  the  tree, ' '  and  his  sin  consisted  in  a  diredl 
disobedience  to  this  plain  and  positive  command. 
Sin,  therefore,  involves  a  diredl  disobedience  to  the 
commands  of  God.     This  involves — 

2.  A  determination  to  follow  his  desires  and  in- 
clinations— to   give   up    to    self-indulgence — to    get 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    ITS   ORIGIN.  91 

whatever  pleases  him  regardless  of  consequences — hi 
short,  to  put  his  own  inclination  and  pleasure  above 
every  thing  else. 

3.  Also  it  is  a  determination  not  to  follow  the  dic- 
tates of  reason  and  judgment,  which  declare  to  him 
plainly  that  the  L,aw  of  God  is  right,  that  obedience 
to  it  is  right,  and  that  his  best  interests  and  welfare 
will  be  secured  by  yielding  this  obedience.     Also 

4.  It  is  a  determination  not  to  practise  the  self- 
denial  necessary  to  obedience,  and  which  is  seen  to 
be  reasonable  and  right ;  and  is,  therefore,  a  deter- 
mination   to    put    self   and  self-indulgence  above 
reason,  conscience,  and  God.     Also 

5.  In  sinning  he  stifles  the  admonitions  of  con- 
science— the  sense  of  moral  obligation — the  feeling 
that  I  ought  to  obey,  and  ought  not  to  disobe)' ;  thus 
quenching  within  himself  these  sacred  monitions. 

6.  Furthermore — So  long  as  he  refuses  to  obey 
God,  he  not  only  puts  himself  above  him,  but  in 
direct  opposition  to  him.     He  arrays  himself  in  posi- 
tive and  downright  hostility  to  him,  and  in  rebellion 
against  his  authority.       In  the  language  of  our 
Savior  in  the  parable,  he  declares  that  he  "will  not 
have  Him  to  reign  over  him."     (Luke  19  :  14.) 

And  even  when  convinced  of  his  own  sinful  con- 
duct, instead  of  being  made  humble  and  repentant 
in  view  of  it,  no  other  feeling  is  awakened  within 
him  but  that  of  hatred  and  opposition.  And  even 
beyond  this,  rather  than  accept  the  just  punishment 
of  his  sin,  he  would  hurl  the  Almighty  from  his 
throne,  if  he  had  the  power ;  and  would  actually  do 
it  were  he  not  met  by  Omnipotent  Energy. 


93  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

7.  Finally — Sin  assails  the  very  foundations  of 
Law  and  Government,  and  aims  to  subvert  the 
moral  order  of  the  universe,  and  make  it  one  uni- 
versal scene  of  disorder,  anarchy,  and  ruin — in  short, 
a  universal  Hell.  And  it  would  accomplish  this 
result  were  it  not  restrained  by  the  infinite  energies 
of  the  Almighty. 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  sin  is  the  determination 
to  have  my  own  way  at  whatever  sacrifice — even 
that  of  God  and  the  universe,  and  is,  therefore,  seen 
to  be,  in  all  cases,  the  outworking  of  supreme,  un- 
mitigated selfishness. 

These  things  taken  together  show  what  tremendous 
meaning  there  is  in  the  declaration  of  the  Apostle, 
' '  That  sin  by  the  commandment  might  become  ex- 
ceeding sinful.'''  (Rom.  7:  13.) 


CHAPTER  III. 

MORAL  EVIL  IN  ITS  RELATIONS  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY. 

SEC.  I.  Why  has  the  Almighty  entered  on  the 
creation  of  a  moral  system  ?  Answer  :  For  his  own 
pleasure.  ' '  Thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for 
thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created. ' '  (Rev.  4  : 
n.)  What  most  tends  to  promote  that  pleasure? 

1.  One  answer,  and  the  answer  most  generally 
given,  is — That  as  God  is  the  fountain  of  all  exist- 
ence, His  highest  pleasure  must  be  in  having  His 
exalted  position  properly  recognized — to  be  honored 
and  glorified  by   all  intelligent  existences ;    and, 
therefore,  that  He  created  the  Moral  System  primar- 
ily for  His  own  glory.     So  that  all  things  that  take 
place  were  foreordained  to  this  great  end — the  glory 
of  God.     Nothing  indeed  that  actually  takes  place, 
is  excepted.     The  perdition  of  ungodly  men,  and 
even  their  sin  were  not  only  permitted,  but  designed 
and  intended  for  the  same  great  end ;  and,  as  a 
matter  of  fadl,  do,  in  the  highest  degree  glorify  God. 
(See  PRES.  EDWARDS  and  the  Westminster  Confes- 
sion.)    But 

2.  Another  answer  is  possible.     While  the  proper 
recognition  of  His  dignity  and  glory  on  the  part  of 
His  intelligent  creatures,  is,  undoubtedly,  one  great 
source  of  pleasure  to  Him,  it  is  believed  that  He  ex- 
periences a  higher  degree  of  pleasure  from  loving 
and  being  loved;  and  that  this  is  the  primary  reason 

93 


94  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

why  He  has  entered  on  the  creation  of  a  moral  sys- 
tem. In  this  view  the  bestowing  of  affection,  and 
receiving  affection  in  return,  become  fundamental — 
the  primary  design  of  creation,  and  not  the  proper 
recognition  of  His  exalted  position  in  the  universe. 

This  first  answer  makes,  in  theological  phrase, 
Divine  Sovereignty  fundamental. 

The  second  answer  makes  Divine  Love  funda- 
mental. 

These  two  views  are  in  some  respects  radically 
different,  and  lead  to  distinct  practical  results.  This 
latter  view  is  the  one  adopted  in  this  discussion, 
namely — That  the  primary,  fundamental  reason  for 
the  creation  of  the  moral  system  was — God  wanted 
beings  whom  He  could  love,  and  who  could  love  Him 
in  return. 

1.  He  desired  to  love.     But  He  could  not  love 
stocks  and  stones  and  material  things  any  more  than 
we  can.     Neither  could  He  love  the  brute  creation, 
for  they  could  not  understand  and  appreciate  Him. 
He  could  truly  love  only  a  proper  object  of  love ; 
and  there  is  no  proper  object  of  affection  but  a  free, 
moral  agent — one  who  can  understand  and  appre- 
ciate affection,  and  especially  that  affection  which 
has  its  foundation  in  moral  qualities  and  character. 

2.  He  desired  to  be  loved.     But  none  but  beings 
made  in-  His  image  could  either  appreciate  His  affec- 
tion, or  love  Him  in  return.     And  yet  the  love  of 
one  free,  intelligent  being  is  a  higher  source  of  hap- 
piness to  Him  than  all  the  material  works  that  His 
hands  have  builded.     Why  ?     Because  it  is  affection 
freely  and  voluntarily  rendered.     To  illustrate — 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.       95 

The  vine  furnishes  us  with  its  delicious  clusters, 
and  we  enjoy  them.  But  we  cannot  love  the  vine 
for  producing  them.  Why  not  ?  Simply  because  it 
turnishes  them  of  necessity.  Suppose  equally  deli- 
cious clusters  were  sent  us  by  a  friend.  The  pleasure 
in  partaking  of  them  would  be  the  same,  but  how 
immeasurably  superior  the  satisfaction  from  them  as 
being  the  expression  of  free,  voluntary  affeElion  ! 

This,  therefore,  is  the  prime  reason  why  God  has 
created  a  system  of  free,  moral  agents — He  wanted 
beings  whom  He  could  love,  and  He  wanted  beings 
who  could  love  Him  in  return,  because  appreciating 
His  moral  excellence.  ' '  God  is  love :  and  he  that 
dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him  " 
(i  John  iv  :  16) ;  and  so  God  wanted  beings  in  whom 
He  could  dwell,  and  who  could  dwell  in  Him, 
through  the  existence  and  exercise  of  this  mutual 
affection. 

SEC.  2.  What  is  the  leading  end  or  object  which 
God  has  in  view  in  the  progress  and  management 
of  this  Moral  System  ? 

Answer  :  To  have  it  a  Holy  Universe.     For 

1.  He  can  not  love  moral  beings,  nor  they  Him, 
unless  they  are  holy.     Also 

2.  He  must  desire  that  beings  made  like  himself 
— "in  His  own  image" — should  aft  like  himself; 
and  as  He  is  holy  in  character  and  conduct,  that  they 
should  be  holy  in  character  and  conduct.     Also 

3.  God  is  supremely  blessed  in  the  conscious  con- 
formity of  His  own  character  and  conduct  to  the 
eternal  and  immutable  principles  of  Right,  i.  e. ,  in 
His  own  conscious  Rectitude  or  Holiness.     Then, 


96  THE   ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

the  same  must  be  true  of  all  beings  ' '  made  in  His 
image  ;  ' '  and  the  same  blessedness  must  result  to 
them  from  their  conscious  rectitude  as  results  to  the 
Almighty  Himself.  When,  therefore,  God  says  to 
His  whole  moral  creation  "Be  ye  holy  for  /  am 
holy, ' '  He  commands  them  to  do  the  best  thing  both 
for  Himself  and  for  them  ;  and  if  they  would  but 
obey  Him  and  do  it,  it  would  be  the  best  kind  of 
moral  conduct,  and  be  to  them  the  highest  possible 
source  of  blessedness  even  as  it  is  to  Him. 

The  conclusion  is  inevitable  that  there  can  be  no 
possible  or  conceivable  system  better  than  a  pure 
and  holy  universe  of  moral  beings. 

SEC.  3.      The  Prevention  of  Sin. 

If  God  loves  Holiness  supremely  why  does  He  not 
secure  it  by  the  exertion  of  His  Omnipotent  Power  ? 
The  only  possible  answer  is  that  even  Omnipotence 
has  its  limitations.  This  some  deny,  not  seeing 
apparently  that  there  are  things  lying  beyond  the 
realm  of  Power  and  Soverignty,  and  appertaining  to 
the  very  nature  of  things,  which  no  amount  of  mere 
power  can  touch.  For  example 

1.  God,  as  we  have  seen,  desires  Holiness  in  His 
moral  creatures,  first,  last  and  always.     But  He  can 
not  have  holiness  without  Freedom.     He  absolutely 
can  not ;  for  the  very  idea  and  definition  of  Holiness 
is  z.  free,  -voluntary  choice  of  Right.     Here,  there- 
fore, is  limitation  at  the  very  outset.     Here  is  a 
cannot  at  the  very  starting-point.     God  cannot  have 
Holiness  without  Freedom. 

2 .  Then  follows  another  cannot.     He  can  not  have 
Freedom  of  choice  without  the  possibility  of  a  wrong 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.       97 

choice,  i.  <?.,  the  possibility  of  sin.  Here  is  another 
limitation  growing  out  of  the  very  nature  of  things 
— the  very  nature  of  Freedom.  Because  freedom  of 
choice  means  real  freedom — unrestricted  freedom  in 
the  action  of  the  will.  And  this  necessarily  implies 
the  possibility  of  a  wrong  choice.  In  a  system, 
therefore,  of  free,  moral  agents  God  can  not  prevent 
the  possibility  of  sin. 

3.  A  free,  moral  agent  can  be  controlled  and  gov- 
erned by  nothing  but  motive.  Here  is  another 
cannot,  and  the  limitations  multiply.  For  the  action 
of  the  will,  in  a  free,  moral  agent,  is  only  in  the 
direction  of  choice — of  free  choice.  And  this  can  not 
be  compelled — can  not  be  reached  and  affected  by 
anything  that  it  can  not  resist ;  as  otherwise  its  free- 
dom would  be  ruined.  Power,  therefore,  as  some- 
thing compelling  moral  action,  is  out  of  the  question. 
It  can  not  be  used  with  a  free,  moral  agent,  and  the 
only  influence  proper  to  be  used  in  the  government 
of  moral  beings  is  motive* 


*  In  connection  with  the  matter  of  freedom,  it  may  be  well  to  notice 
a  point  which  has  given  trouble  to  some,  viz: — It  is  said  that  if  an  act 
be  certain,  it  must  also  be  necessary;  and  as  all  action  is  certain  to  the 
Divine  mind,  therefore,  there  can  be  no  freedom  in  action.  The  solu- 
tion of  the  difficulty  is— That  there  are  several  kinds  of  necessity,  and 
one  kind  is  entirely  consistent  with  freedom.  There  is 

1.  Physical  Necessity.    Now  the  fundamental  idea  of  necessity  is — An 
impossibility  of  the  contrary;  and  this  element  is  common  to  all  kinds 
of  necessity.    Physical  necessity  is  the  necessity,  or  impossibility  of  the 
contrary,  given  by  the  nature  of  cause,  and  amounts  to  compulsion; 
e.  g.,  gravity  acting  on  a  stone,  and  causing  it  to  fall.    The  certainty 
that  the  stone  will  fall,  is  determined  by  the  nature  of  cause  acting 
upon  it;  and  under  this  there  is  no  possibility  of  freedom. 

2.  Metaphysical  Necessity,  as  that  2  and  2  make  4.    Here  there  is  an 
impossibility  of  the  contrary,  but  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  moral  action. 

3.  Philosophical  Necessity,  or  the  necessity  given  by  certainty.    In 
this  the  mind  first  sees  the  certainty,  aud  then  sees  an  impossibility  of 


98  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

But  why  could  not  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  have  been  used  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  sin 
into  the  moral  system  ?  Answer  :  The  peculiar  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit  belong  apparently  to 
that  scheme  of  grace  and  mercy  which  has  been 
devised  for  the  recovery  of  the  sinful  in  this  world 
through  an  atonement  ;  as  says  the  Apostle, 
' '  Which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly  through  Jesus 
Christ ' '  (Tit.  iii :  6) ;  and  there  is  no  reason  for  sup- 
posing that  they  could  properly  have  been  exerted 
upon  the  first  sinful  beings  to  prevent  their  sin. 

Even  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  conver- 
sion appear  to  be  used  only  to  give  efficacy  to 
motive.  And  in  this  work  He  apparently  affects 
only  the  antecedents  of  volition,  leaving  the  will  un- 
touched. He  enlightens  the  intellect  and  quickens 
the  sensibilities,  so  that  a  man  is  made  to  see  truth 
as  he  had  not  before  seen  it,  and  to  feel  its  power  as 
he  had  not  before  felt  it ;  and  when  this  is  done,  He 

the  contrary  growing  out  of  it;  1.  e.,  the  mind  sees  that  if  a  thing  is 
certain  to  be,  then  it  is  impossible  but  that  it  should  be. 

Here  the  necessity  is  not  seen  from  the  nature  of  the  cause,  as  in 
Physical  Necessity,  but  the  certainty  is  first  seen,  and  the  necessity,  or 
impossibility  of  the  contrary,  is  merely  inferred  from  it.  The  necessity 
is  no  greater  than  the  certainty,  and  is  derived  from  it;  and  this  neces- 
sity is  entirely  consistent  with  freedom. 

For  example  —  Motives  give  certainty  •without  physical  necessity. 
Moral  beings  are  ever  acting  under  the  influence  of  motives;  but  mo- 
tives have  no  compelling  power;  and  the  moral  being,  acting  under 
their  influence,  always  acts  freely  and  responsibly.  In  every  such 
action  he  might  have  acted  the  other  way — either  not  to  have  done 
what  he  did,  or  to  have  done  what  he  neglected  to  do.  This  is  demon- 
strated, as  was  said  in  a  former  connection,  by  the  single  fact  of 
remorse,  which  would  be  impossible  without  conscious  freedom. 

No  one  but  the  Almighty  can  know  beforehand  how  a  moral  being 
will  act  under  the  influence  of  motive;  and  how  He  can  know  it  is  ut- 
terly beyond  our  comprehension.  We  do  not  know  beforehand  how  a 
moral  being  will  act,  for  he  can  resist  all  motives. 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.       99 

undoubtedly  stops  exactly  there,  leaving  the  will  to 
its  own  voluntary  action  in  view  of  the  motives  pre- 
sented ;  and,  therefore,  at  this  exact  point,  throws 
upon  the  man  himself  the  entire  responsibility  of  the 
resulting  choice.  The  experience  of  the  [Prodigal 
Son  is  in  point.  First  he  thinks,  "In  my  father's 
house  is  bread  enough  and  to  spare."  Then  he 
feels,  ' '  I  perish  with  hunger. ' '  The  resulting 
choice  or  determination  ' '  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my 
father,"  was  apparently  entirely  his  own,  in  which 
decision  he  ' '  made  himself  'a  new  heart.  (Eze.  xviii : 

3I-) 

Indeed,  under  a  system  merely  of  law,  such  as  we 
suppose  existed  previous  to  the  atonement,  to  bring 
in  any  extraneous  influence,  like  that  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  induce  obedience  in  moral  beings,  might 
only  tend  to  weaken  the  influence  of  law  over  them, 
and  eventually  undermine  the  entire  authority  of 
the  government. 

To  illustrate — Suppose  a  father  to  lay  some  com- 
mand upon  his  child;  and  then,  instead  of  enforcing 
the  command  by  the  simple  weight  of  his  authority, 
should  use  some  extraneous  influence  to  secure  obe- 
dience. For  example,  suppose  he  should  offer  him 
an  orange.  What  is  the  consequence  ? 

First — He  weakens  his  authority  and  impairs  his 
influence  over  his  child. 

Secondly — Obedience  could  probably  be  secured  a 
second  time,  in  similar  circumstances,  only  by  means 
of  some  additional  inducement. 

Thirdly — This  method  of  procedure  continued, 
would  result  in  the  confirmed  and  hopeless  rebellion 


100  THE   ORIGIN   OF  SIN. 

of  the  child  against  all  parental  authority,  as  well  as 
lay  the  foundation  of  rebellion  in  the  entire  family. 

So  in  the  government  of  God.  Under  a  system  of 
mere  law,  to  bring  in  some  extraneous  influence  to 
secure  obedience  to  his  commands,  might  only  tend 
to  weaken  the  influence  of  law,  and  lead  ultimately 
to  rebellion.  Or,  if  no  evil  consequences  should  fol- 
low to  those  directly  influenced,  still,  the  knowledge 
of  the  fact,  disseminated  through  the  universe,  that 
God  was  thus  securing  the  obedience  of  his  creatures, 
might  undermine  the  foundations  of  government 
elsewhere. 

In  respect  to  this  world,  as  the  majesty  of  law  has 
here  been  first  sustained  by  an  Atonement,  such  a 
result  can  not  be  apprehended.  But  to  have  exerted 
this  influence  upon  the  first  sinful  beings  to  prevent 
their  sinning,  might  have  been  attended  with  evil 
consequences  to  the  entire  system. 

As  we  know,  therefore,  of  no  other  means  which 
God  has  ever  made  use  of  to  govern  moral  beings, 
except  motives  and  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  make  them  efficacious,  therefore,  there  is  no 
reason  for  supposing  that,  under  a  system  of  mere 
law,  such  as  we  have  every  reason  to  think  existed 
previously  to  the  Atonement,  moral  beings  could 
have  been  controlled  by  anything  but  simple  motive.* 


*  Assumptions  are  often  made  respecting  the  influences  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  and  His  peculiar  office — work  in  human  conversion  and  salva- 
tion, which  are  not  warranted  either  by  reason  or  the  Scriptures,  e.  g. 
to  assume  that  there  are  no  limitations  to  the  exercise  or  exertion  or 
use  of  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  conviction  and  conversion 
of  men — that  God  could  use  or  employ  them  to  any  and  every  extent, 
and  in  any  and  all  circumstances — that  no  considerations  affecting 
moral  government  can  possibly  come  in  to  render  some  degree  of  re- 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.    IOI 

4.  And  now  we  come  to  another  cannot — another 
limitation.  God,  as  we  have  seen,  is  aiming  to  se- 
cure all  possible  Holiness.  And  as  He  puts  this 
above  all  things  else,  and  subordinates  everything 
else  to  it,  so  He  must  use  all  possible  instrumentality 
in  securing  it ;  and  as  motives  are  the  only  instru- 
mentality proper  to  be  used,  He  must  use  all  there 
are.  And  if  He  uses  all  there  are,  then  He  can  do 
no  more  than  He  is  doing  in  the  way  of  securing 
holiness  and  preventing  sin.  And  He  may  truth- 
fully say  of  his  entire  vineyard  of  the  world,  as  He 
said  of  His  vineyard  of  the  Jewish  nation,  "  What 
could  have  been  done  more  to  my  vineyard  that  I 
have  not  done  in  it!"  (Is.  v  :  4.)  When,  there- 
fore, He  plies  His  moral  universe  with  the  three 
infinite  motives,  Heaven,  Hell,  and  Calvary — and  no 
motives  more  influential  than  these  are  possible — He 
does  the  best  that  can  be  done  for  the  prevention  of 
sin. 

It  appears,  therefore,  that  in  the  matter  of  pre- 
venting sin,  there  are  manifest  limitations  of  Divine 
Power  growing  out  of  the  very  nature  of  things — 
out  of  the  nature  of  a  moral  being  and  of  a  moral 
system. 

The  prevention  of  sin,  therefore,  in  a  moral  sys- 
tem is  impossible.  It  might  be  prevented  for  a  time, 
but  not  forever.  It  can  not  be  prevented  wholly 

striction  necessary,  is  what,  with  our  limited  knowledge,  we  are  not 
qualified  to  do.  Nor  do  any  declarations  of  the  Bible  respecting  the 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  warrant  us  in  making  such  assumptions. 
But  if  this  be  so,  then  how  or  when  or  where  or  to  what  extent  they 
can  be  properly  used  or  exerted,  we  do  not  know;  and  all  we  can  prop- 
erly assert  is  that  God  uses  them  in  this  world,  to  the  full  extent  that 
He  wisely  and  properly  can;  and  there  we  must  stop. 


102  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

except  by  the  non-creation  of  the  moral  system. 
The  simple  logic  in  the  case  is  this — God  hates  sin. 
He  says  He  does.  And  if  He  hates  it,  then,  of 
course,  He  would  have  prevented  it  if  He  could. 
He  has  not  prevented  it,  and,  therefore,  could  not. 

Here  appears  to  be  a  fallacy  in  the  Westminster 
Confession — That  Omnipotence  has  no  limitations. 
This  is  not  stated  in  so  many  words,  but  is  assumed 
throughout  the  entire  Confession.  Divine  sover- 
eignty is  made  fundamental  and  without  limitation. 
If  sin  exists,  the  assumption  is  that  God  desires  it 
should  exist.  If  moral  beings  are  lost,  it  is  because 
God  desires  they  should  be  lost  ;  and  He  even  ' '  or- 
dains their  perdition  for  his  own  glory."  The 
declaration  "  He  doeth  His  will  in  the  armies  of 
heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,"  is 
accepted  as  having  no  limitations  ;  not  seeing  appa- 
rently that  when  God  creates  beings  free,  He  must 
accept  all  the  certain  consequences  of  that  freedom  ; 
and  as  freedom  necessarily  limits  power,  so  He  must 
and  does  accept  this  limitation  of  His  own  power. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  He  does  not  desire  the  exist- 
ence of  sin,  and  has  "  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked, ' '  and  His  only  pleasure  is  that  ' '  he  turn 
from  his  evil  way  and  live."  And,  therefore,  the 
sin  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men  comes  to  pass  only 
because  Omnipotence  can  not  prevent  it  in  a  system 
of  free,  moral  agents. 

That  Divine  Omnipotence  has  no  limitations,  is 
the  corner-stone  of  Universalism.  Its  reasoning  is 
this— 

i.  God  is  omnipotent,  and  can,  therefore,  do  any 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.    103 

thing  and  every  thing  He  pleases,  and  all  things  are 
in  accordance  with  His  will  and  pleasure. 

2.  He  says  He  "  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved ; " 
and  that  He  ' '  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked. ' '     Therefore 

3.  All  will  be  saved. 

But  this  assumes,  like  the  Calvanistic  doctrine, 
that  omnipotence  has  no  limitations,  and  that  if  God 
desires  a  man  to  be  saved,  then  he  will  be  saved. 

It  assumes  also  that  the  universe  is  governed  by 
Omnipotent  Power  and  Force — that  this  influence 
can  properly  be  used  in  the  moral  world,  and  that 
by  this  influence  God  can  so  guide  and  govern 
moral  beings  as  to  have  them  act  as  He  pleases. 
But  this  contradicts  all  that  we  see  about  us,  for  we 
see  that  He  does  not  have  things  as  He  pleases. 
His  commands  are  violated,  His  name  blasphemed, 
His  Sabbaths  desecrated,  His  Bible  neglected,  and 
He  Himself  treated  with  personal  contempt  and  in- 
sult. Does  God  desire  to  be  thus  treated  ? 

But  furthermore,  any  supposition  that  the  moral 
universe  is  guided  and  governed,  or  can  be,  by 
force,  exerted  to  any  extent  whatever,  even  that  of 
omnipotence,  is  absurd  and  impossible.*  For  moral 

*  But  does  it  not  say  in  Prov.  21:  i,  that  "  the  King's  heart  is  in  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  as  the  rivers  [rivulets]  of  water:  he  turneth  it  whith- 
ersoever he  will  ?"  meaning  that  if  the  King's  heart  could  be  turned 
thus,  of  course,  those  of  all  his  subjects,  and  of  every  one  else,  could  be. 
(The  reference  here  is  to  artificial  irrigation;  where  the  little  "water- 
courses "  ( Rev.  Ver. )  in  the  gardens  could  be  readily  diverted  from  one 
channel  to  another  merely  by  the  foot. ) 

This  refers  to  the  power  of  the  Almighty  over  human  heart*  in  re- 
spect to  what  might  be  termed  specific  action — how  men  shall  be  led  to 
think,  feel,  and  a<5t  in  the  every  day  circumstances  of  life ;  but  does  not 


IO4  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

beings  are  not  machines,  and  cannot  be  moved  by 
force,  though  exerted  to  any  extent.  Indeed,  there 
is  no  more  intrinsic  absurdity  in  imagining  an  en- 
gineer getting  his  locomotive  on  the  track,  and  then 
attempting  to  drive  it  by  reading  to  it  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments, than  in  supposing  God  to  put  His  moral 
creature  on  the  track  of  free  and  responsible  action, 
and  then  to  attempt  to  move  him  by  power — by  the 
force  of  His  omnipotence. 

The  fact  is,  the  two  great  empires  of  matter  and 
mind  are  governed  by  influences  utterly  unlike — 
one  by  force  and  compulsion,  and  the  other  by  mo- 
tive and  persuasion.  And  each  must  be  governed 
by  its  own  appropriate  influence. 

So  we  say  that  God  can  not  govern  mind  by  force 
any  more  than  He  can  govern  matter  by  motive. 

Would  it  impair  the  omnipotence  of  God  at  all  to 
say  that  He  can  not  govern  the  solar  system  by  the 
Ten  Commandments  ?  Certainly  not  ;  for  this  is 
only  saying  that  He  cannot  act  inconsistently  with 
His  own  works  ;  that  is,  He  can  not  use  with  matter 
an  influence  appropriate  only  to  mind. 

On  the  other  hand,  would  it  impair  His  omnipo- 
tence at  all  to  say  that  He  can  not  convert  men  with 
crow-bars  ?  Certainly  not ;  for  this  involves  a  simi- 
lar inconsistency.  It  is  only  saying  that  He  can  not 
use  with  mind  an  influence  appropriate  only  to  mat- 
refer  to  the  great,  fundamental  change  of  principle  and  character  de- 
nominated conversion.  In  this,  the  action  of  the  Almighty  is  repre- 
sented as  being  "  according  to  the  working  of  His  mighty  power  which 
He  wrought  in  Christ  when  He  raised  Him  from  the  dead. ' '  Eph.  i  • 
19,20. 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.    105 

ter.  It  plainly  appears,  therefore,  that  force  can  not 
be  used  in  the  government  of  mind ,  and  that  omni- 
potence, or  infinite  force,  is  just  as  powerless  for  this 
as  finite.  Even  God  Himself  can  govern  His  moral 
universe  only  by  motive,  and  must  ever  leave  His 
moral  creatures  as  absolutely  free  in  determining 
their  own  characters  and  conduct,  as  if  there  were 
no  such  thing  as  omnipotence.* 

If,  therefore,  a  man  acts  rightly  and  becomes  holy 
in  character  through  faith  and  repentance,  it  will  be 
the  result  of  his  own  free  choice;  and  God  will  com- 
mend and  reward  him  accordingly.  And  if  he 
chooses  a  wicked  and  ungodly  life,  he  will  do  it  on 
his  own  responsibility,  as  a  free  and  accountable 
being  ;  and  God  will  deal  with  him  accordingly  in 
the  matter  of  punishment. 

But  let  us  take  this  matter  of  the  Divine  preven- 
tion of  sin  to  the  tribunal  of  Common  Sense. 

If  a  man  should  stand  by  and  see  a  murder  com- 
mitted, and  make  no  effort  to  prevent  it,  and  the 
fact  should  be  proved  against  him,  he  would  be  re- 
garded as  a  particeps  criminis — partaker  in  the 
crime. 


*  Even  motives  must  be  used  carefully  so  as  not  to  touch  the  freedom 
of  the  will.  For  example — Who  does  not  believe  that  the  sin  of  Adam 
in  the  garden  could  have  been  prevented  at  the  time,  by  a  thunder- 
clap breaking  at  the  moment  from  the  clear  sky?  Then  -why  did  not 
God  prevent  his  sin  in  that  way  ?  Because,  although  not  reaching  the 
point  of  compulsion,  yet  it  would  have  seriously  affected  the  action  of 
the  Free  Will  in  its  relations  to  Himself.  Adam  would,  in  that  case, 
have  obeyed  the  thunder-clap  and  not  God.  And  such  a  method  of 
procedure  continued,  would,  in  the  end,  have  destroyed  all  true  moral 
government  over  him.  God,  therefore,  only  said  to  him  "  Eat,  and 
thou  shalt  die,"  and  there  left  it 


106  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

If  a  man  see  another  committing  a  theft,  or  at- 
tempting a  burglary,  or  any  other  violation  of  the 
laws  of  the  land,  and  makes  no  effort  to  prevent  it, 
the  law  regards  him  as  a  partaker  in  the  crime. 

If  now  the  Almighty  stands  by  and  sees  His  own 
laws  violated — even  "permits"  the  violation  when 
he  might  prevent  it,  how  is  He  not  as  truly  respon- 
sible for  the  sin  as  a  man  would  be  in  similar  cir- 
cumstances ? 

Also,  take  this  passage,  ' '  To  him  that  knoweth 
to  do  good,  and  doeth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin." 
Men  everywhere  believe  that  preventing  sin  is  doing 
good.  It  is  so  regarded  the  world  over.  If  there- 
fore, God  should  not  prevent  sin  when  he  might, 
and  thus  neglect  to  do  the  good  He  might  do,  why 
would  it  hot  be  sin  in  Him  as  truly  as  the  same  con- 
duct would  be  in  a  man  ? 

Also,  take  this  same  common-sense  view  of  His 
own  declarations.  He  says  He  ' '  is  not  willing  that 
any  should  perish."  Then,  to  be  consistent,  He 
must  do  all  He  can  to  prevent  their  perishing. 

Again  He  says  He  ' '  will  have  all  men  to  be 
saved."  Then,  to  be  consistent,  he  must  do  all  he 
can  to  save  all  men. 

The  position,  therefore,  that  God  can  not  prevent 
both  sin  and  perdition  in  a  system  of  free,  moral 
agents,  is  demanded  by  every  principle  of  common 
sense. 

SEC.  4.    The  Foreordination  of  Sin. 

Another  fallacy  of  the  Westminster  Confession  is 
found  in  the  statement  that  "  God  foreordained 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.    107 

whatsoever  comes  to  pass  ;  ' '  putting  thus  Holiness 
and  Sin  in  to  the  same  category,  as  if  both  were  fore- 
ordained in  the  same  way,  and  for  the  same  reason, 
neither  of  which  is  true. 

i .  Holiness  acid  Sin  are  not  foreordained  in  the 
same  way.  Holiness  is  the  great  end,  as  we  have 
seen,  which  God  has  ever  in  view  in  the  progress 
and  management  of  the  moral  system,  and  is  always 
and  in  all  circumstances,  in  perfect  accordance  with 
His  will  and  pleasure.  He  loves  holiness  and  is 
ever  making  direct  efforts  to  secure  it.  He  foreor- 
dains it,  therefore,  for  its  own  sake. 

But  he  does  not  love  sin,  and  makes  no  direEl 
efforts  for  its  existence;  nor  is  it  like  holiness  desir- 
ableybr  itself.  It  is  hateful  and  loathsome  to  the 
Almighty,  and  a  source  of  incalculable  mischief  in 
His  universe  wherever  it  exists.  If,  therefore,  sin 
and  holiness  are  both  foreordained,  there  must  still 
be  a  difference  in  the  mode  of  their  foreordination. 
They  can  not  both  be  foreordained  in  the  same  way. 
And  the  difference  is  this — one  is  foreordained 
directly,  and  for  its  own  sake,  as  being,  in  itself,  a 
desirable  object.  The  other,  being  utterly  undesir- 
able, is  foreordained  only  in  the  sense  of  being  ren- 
dered certain  by  the  creation  of  the  system  into 
which  it  was  foreseen  it  would  enter.  One,  there- 
fore, is  foreordained  direftly,  the  other  indirettly. 

And  between  these  two  kinds  of  foreordination 
there  is  a  great,  even  a  mighty  difference.  To  illus- 
trate— the  North  chose  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  that 
a  government  ' '  of  the  people,  and  by  the  people, 


108  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

and  for  the  people,  might  not  perish  from  the  earth. ' ' 
But  did  it  choose  the  slaughter  of  our  sons  and 
brothers,  and  the  expenditure  of  thousands  of  mil- 
lions in  the  same  way  f  It  rendered  them  certain 
when  it  determined  to  save  the  Union;  but  did  it 
choose  them  direftly,  and  for  their  own  sake  f  Did 
it  desire  these  fearful  results?  On  the  contrary, 
how  it  deplored  the  sacrifice,  and  regretted  its  ne- 
cessity, and  mourned  the  slaughtered  thousands, 
and  chose  these  sad  results  only  indireftly. 

And  does  not  God  deplore  the  sin  and  ruin  of  His 
own  child — a  moral  being,  made  ' '  in  His  own 
image, ' '  made  for  immortality,  and  capable  of  in- 
finite expansion  in  all  glory  and  blessedness  ?  And 
how  utterly  inconsistent,  how  dreadful  the  doctrine 
that  He  created  Him  for  perdition — foreordained 
Him  to  be  lost — even  desired  that  he  should  be. 
Such  teaching  is  blasphemous.  Sin  and  holiness 
can  not,  therefore,  be  foreordained  in  the  moral  sys- 
tem in  the  same  way  ;  and  sin  is  foreordained  only 
indirectly — only  rendered  certain  by  the  creation  of 
the  system  in  which  its  existence  was  foreseen. 
Therefore  holiness  is  foreordained  directly,  but  sin 
only  indirectly — merely  rendered  certain. 

2.  Neither  are  sin  and  holiness  foreordained  for 
the  same  end — "  the  glory  of  God." 

The  doctrine  of  the  confession  is  that  the  Almighty 
' '  works  all  things  for  His  own  glory. ' '  And  by  the 
expression  ' '  all  things, ' '  is  not  meant  merely  that  He 
makes  the  universe  as  a  whole  work  for  His  glory — 
which  is  most  certainly  true — but  that  He  makes  all 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.    109 

the  particular  things  which  the  universe  contains, 
conspire  to  the  same  end  ;  so  that  even  the  sin  and 
perdition  of  ungodly  men  are  foreordained,  as  it 
says,  ' '  for  the  glory  of  God. ' '  The  fallacy  here 
lies  in  assuming  that  because  the  moral  system  as  a 
whole  was  created  and  designed  and  foreordained  for 
the  glory  of  God — which  is  certainly  true — therefore 
all  that  the  system  contains  must  have  been  foreor- 
dained for  the  same  end,  which  is  not  true. 

To  illustrate — a  man  determines  to  seek  his  for- 
tune in  the  diamond  fields  of  South  Africa.  Does  he 
choose  the  danger  and  expense  attending  it  ?  No, 
he  only  renders  these  certain,  and  gets  rid  of  both 
all  he  can.  They  are  only  hindrances  and  obstruc- 
tions to  the  main  design,  (just  as  sin  is  to  the  holi- 
ness God  is  aiming  to  secure)  ;  and  are  accepted 
only  because  they  can  not  be  avoided.  He  does  not 
choose  them  for  their  own  sake,  but  still  renders 
them  certain  by  determining  on  the  main  design — 
securing  wealth.  So  God  foreordained  the  moral 
system  as  a  whole  for  His  own  glory,  because  of  the 
grand  results  of  holiness  and  happiness  which  He 
foresaw  would  flow  from  it  in  the  endless  future. 
But  He  foreordained  the  sin  and  its  consequences 
which  He  also  foresaw  would  enter  into  it,  not  at  all 
for  His  own  glory,  nor  because  He  desired  at  all 
their  existence,  for  their  entire  results  are  calamit- 
ous ;  but  He  foreordained  them  only  in  the  sense 
of  rendering  them  certain  by  the  creation  of  the  sys- 
tem into  which  He  foresaw  they  would  enter — i.  e. , 
He  foreordained  them  indirectly.  That  sin  was  not 


110  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

decreed  directly  is  evident  from  the  parable  of  the 
Tares  and  the  Wheat.  In  this  parable  the  question 
asked  is  ' '  Whence  came  the  Tares  ?  ' '  And  if  sin 
were  decreed  directly,  the  answer  should  have  been, 
' '  I  foreordained  the  tares. ' '  But  the  parable  gives 
no  such  explanation  ;  and  the  Almighty  is  cleared 
from  all  responsibility  in  the  matter  by  the  declara- 
tion. "  An  enemy  hath  done  this." 

But  PRES.  EDWARD'S  asserts  that  the  sin  of  the 
universe  can  not  be  foreknown  unless  decreed  directly . 
How  do  we  know  ?  God  foreknows  possibilities  ? 
without  decreeing  them.  Why  not  actualities? 
Christ  says  of  the  cities  where  He  preached  and 
labored,  that  ' '  if.  the  mighty  works  done  in  them 
had  been  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have 
repented."  This  possibility  was  not  decreed,  yet  he 
certainly  foreknew  it.  Is  there  any  more  intrin- 
sic difficulty  in  foreknowing  actualities  than  pos- 
sibilities— to  foreknow  how  a  moral  being  will  act 
than  how  he  would  act  ?  There  appears  to  be  the 
same  difficulty  in  both  cases.  So  we  do  not  cer- 
tainly know  that  human  conduct  cannot  be  foreknown 
unless  decreed.  The  most  natural  conclusion,  in  view 
of  our  Savior's  declaration  about  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
is,  that  all  possibilities  and  all  actualities  are,  and 
always  have  been,  distinctly  before  the  mind  of  God. 
How  they  are  we  know  not.  How  the  actions  of  a 
free  moral  agent — as  free  to  act  in  one  way  as  in  the 
other — can  be  foreknown,  either  as  actualities  or 
only  possibilities,  appears  to  us  a  profound  and  in- 
explicable mystery ;  and  very  likely  one  that  we 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.    Ill 

may  never  be  able  to  comprehend.  It  may  be  one 
of  the  ' '  deep  things ' '  of  God  beyond  the  reach  of 
the  finite  intelligence.  But  we  know  that  they  are 
and  must  be  foreknown  ;  for  the  fulfilment  of  pro- 
phecy respecting  human  conduct  in  the  future, 
proves  it.  But  that  they  must  be  decreed  in  order 
to  be  foreknown  we  do  not  know  ;  and  it  is  not  neces- 
sary for  us  to  say  that  because  God  foreknew  sin, 
therefore  He  decreed  sin. 

SEC.  5.  Is  Sin  overruled  for  good? 

Some  assert,  as  the  reason  why  sin  exists,  that 
"sin  is  overruled  for  good."  This  is  never  the 
case  except  that  a  sin  may  be  used  for  the  correc- 
tion of  other  sin;  as  where  Peter's  denial  of  Christ, 
by  showing  him  his  moral  weakness,  corrected  his 
overweening  self -confidence,  which  was  spoiling  him 
for  an  apostle. 

Hezekiah's  vanity, too, needed  correction;  and  God 
"left  him  to  try  him,  that  he  (Hezekiah)  might 
know  all  that  was  in  his  heart."  (2  Chron.  xxxii : 
31).  But  it  would  have  been  better  for  Peter  and 
Hezekiah  both  had  there  been  no  weakness  needing 
correction. 

But  was  not  this  sin  of  the  crucifixion  overruled 
for  good  ?  No,  in  no  respect  whatever.  All  the 
good  of  the  crucifixion  came  from  God  giving  His 
Son  to  sufferings  and  death.  But  he  might  have 
done  this  in  a  variety  of  ways.  He  chose  to  let 
wickedness  crucify  him.  Now  what  came  from  God 
giving  His  Son?  Answer  :  The  offer  of  pardon  and 
eternal  life  to  sinful  men,  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 


112  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

the  common  blessings  of  Probation,  and  the  salva- 
tion of  the  penitent. 

What  came  from  the  sin  of  the  crucifixion  ?  An- 
swer :  Nothing  but  the  deep  damnation  of  the 
scribes  and  pharisees  concerned  in  it,  and  the  utter 
ruin  of  the  nation.  No  good  of  any  kind  came  from 
the  sin  of  the  crucifixion,  nor  was  it  overruled  for 
one  particle  of  good.  No  result  flowed  from  it  but 
in  the  line  of  disaster. 

In  Acts  ii  :  23  "Him  being  delivered"  is  one 
thing;  "Ye  have  taken,"  is  quite  another.  The 
first  was  God's  act  of  mercy  and  love  in  Redemp- 
tion. The  second  was  the  act  of  the  "wicked 
hands"  of  men  in  the  crucifixion  of  the  Savior. 
From  the  first  came  the  provisions  of  Grace  for  the 
world's  salvation.  From  the  second,  the  perdition  of 
the  mass  of  those  concerned  in  the  wicked  transaction. 

But  does  not  God  make  ' '  the  wrath  of  man  to 
praise  Him ?"* 

Yes.  But  how  ?  Only  by  His  dealings  with  it  in 
the  way  of  judgment.  God  made  the  wrath  of 
Pharaoh  to  praise  him  by  the  judgments  executed 
upon  him;  and  in  this  way  God's  "  name  was  de- 
clared throughout  all  the  earth."  Now  where  did 
the  good — "the  praise," — come  from?  Answer: 


*  The  commentary  of  PROF.  COWLES  upon  this  passage  is  as  follows: 
"  The  English  version  of  this  passage  (Ps.  Ixxvi :  10)  can  not  well  be 
justified  from  the  Hebrew.  He  then  gives  this  version — "For  the 
wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee.  The  last  and  utmost  remains  of  hu- 
man wrath.thou  wilt  gird  about  thee  as  it  were  thine  own  sword.for  the 
destruction  of  thy  foes."  Instead  of  translating  the  Hebrew  word  by 
"  restrain, "  as  in  our  version,  he  would  translate  it  "  gird  cm,  as  the 
warrior  does  his  sword." 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.    113 

from  God's  dealings  with  him.  What  come  from 
the  sin  of  Pharaoh  ?  Answer :  Ten  dreadful 
plagues  upon  Egypt,  and  the  final  destruction  of 
him  and  his  hosts  in  the  Red  Sea.  Not  a  particle 
of  good  came  from  the  sin  of  Pharaoh.  Also  Pha- 
raoh would  have  glorified  God  far  more  had  he  hum- 
bled himself  under  the  Divine  judgments,  as  did 
Nebuchadnezzar. 

So  God  will  make  ' '  the  wrath  of  all  wicked  men 
to  praise  him,"  at  last  by  the  perdition  with  which 
he  will  visit  them  in  the  future  world;  thus  exhibit- 
ing his  character  as  a  firm  and  efficient  Moral  Gov- 
ernor. Now  whence  comes  the  good  ?  Answer  : 
From  God' 's  punishment  of  the  sinner.  What  comes 
from  the  sin  itself?  Nothing  but  damnation.  Not 
a  particle  of  good.  Nor  is  the  wrath  overruled  at 
any  one  point  for  £X>od.  It  is  not  overruled  at  all — 
not  turned  aside  at  all  from  its  natural  tendency — 
but  goes  right  on  to  work  out  its  own  legitimate 
result  of  disaster  and  ruin. 

But  PRES.  EDWARDS  holds  that  God  even  or- 
dained sin  for  His  own  glory,  that  He  might,  by 
means  of  it,  illustrate  the  perfections  of  His  own 
character — His  justice  in  punishment,  and  His 
mercy  in  pardon.  But  is  there  any  other  place  or 
any  set  of  circumstances  that  we  know  of  where  the 
infraction  of  the  law  glorifies  the  lawgiver  ?  In  all 
other  relations  in  this  world  the  belief  is  that  to 
break  the  law  dishonors  the  lawgiver,  is  an  insult  to 
his  majesty,  and  tends  to  bring  him  into  contempt 
and  to  subvert  the  foundations  of  his  government; 


114  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

and  that  the  entire  result  of  breaking  just  laws  is 
calamitous,  something  to  be  regretted  and  discour- 
aged and  avoided. 

But  this  dodlriue  teaches  that  sin  against  God 
is  made  to  glorify  Him  ;  even  that  He  not  only 
"permits"  it,  but  "orders"  it  for  this  very  pur- 
pose. Then  certainly  he  can  not  regret  its  exist- 
ence or  its  commission,  seeing  it  is  the  very 
means  of  glorifying  Him.  Then  we  ought  not  to 
regret  it  for  the  same  reason.  And  then  how  can 
we  repent  for  what  glorifies  Him? 

But,  furthermore,  God  must  even  rejoice  in  the 
existence  of  sin,  because  it  thus  glorifies  Him  ;  even 
He  must  rejoice  both  in  the  sin  and  the  damnation 
of  wicked  men,  because  He  is  glorified  thereby. 
But  how  can  this  be  reconciled  with  his  own  declara- 
tion that  He  has  ' '  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked  ?  ' ' — which  he  certainly  must  have  if  their 
sin  and  punishment  did,  as  a  matter  of  fa (51,  glorify 
Him,  more  than  their  obedience  would  have  done  • 
which  shows  the  absurdity  of  the  doctrine. 

SEC.  6.     Exegesis  of  Rom.  ix  :  18. 

At  this  point  we  notice  that  remarkable  passage, 
Rom.  ix  :  18,  because  it  is  so  often  quoted  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  views  which  have  j  ust  now  been  pre- 
sented— "Therefore  hath  He  mercy  on  whom  He 
will  have  mercy  ;  and  whom  He  will  be  hardeneth. ' ' 
Here  some  reason  thus — They  say  that  the  passage 
evidently  traces  both  the  ' '  mercy  ' '  and  the  ' '  hard- 
ness "  to  the  same  source — the  Divine  Will,  and 
that  settles  the  matter.  He  wills  one  as  truly  as  the 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.     115 

other,  and,  therefore,  so  far  as  the  mere  exercise  of 
the  Divine  Will  is  concerned,  there  can  be  no  differ 
ence  between  them.     Both  are  in  accordance  with 
His  will  and  pleasure. 

But  the  fact  is,  there  is  a  radical  difference  between 
them.  And  the  difference  is  this — He  wills  one 
directly ',  and  the  other  only  indirectly ,  as  was  just 
now  said  respecting  holiness  and  sin. 

1 .  He  wills  the  ' '  mercy  ' '  directly.    It  is  His  eter- 
nal purpose  to  make  efforts  for  the  conversion  and 
salvation  of  A,  which  He  foreknows  will  be  success- 
ful ;  and  He  determines  thus  to  show  "  mercy  "  to 
Him.     In  securing  this  result,  His  will,  His  pleas- 
ure, and  His  efforts  all  harmonize.     He,  therefore, 
foreordains  directly  the  conversion  and  salvation  of 
A.     But  now 

2.  He  wills  the  hardness  of  B  only  indirectly,  i.  e. 
He  foresees  that  if  He  creates  B  a  free,  moral  agent, 
and  makes  efforts  through  His  Truth,  Providence, 
and  Spirit  for  His  conversion,  the  only  result  will  be 
His  increased  hardness  through  His  own  willful  and 
wicked  resistence  to  these  efforts. 

Yet  He  wills  nevertheless  to  make  these  efforts. 
Why  ?  Not  at  all  for  the  sake  of  the  hardness  (as 
when  the  smith  manipulates  the  steel  with  fire  and 
water  for  the  very  purpose  of  producing  hardness) 
but  only  in  spite  of  it,  and  for  the  sake  of  securing 
some  other  and  benevolent  end.  To  illustrate — 

The  house  of  a  poor  but  worthy  man  in  my  neigh- 
borhood burns  down,  and  I  make  an  effort  to  induce 
the  community  to  assist  him  in  his  extremity.  I  go 


Il6  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

to  a  rich  but  penurious  neighbor,  and  try  to  enlist 
his  sympathies  in  his  behalf.  I  plead  the  case  with 
him  as  I  best  can.  But  he,  in  his  meanness  and 
stinginess,  refuses  all  assistance,  and,  as  the  result, 
his  heart  is  hardened.  Now  there  is  a  sense  in 
which  /hardened  his  heart.  I  made  the  appeal  to 
him  ;  and  had  it  not  been  for  my  effort  with  him, 
his  heart  would  not  have  been  thus  hardened.  And 
in  that  sense  only  did  /harden  his  heart,  viz.,  by 
urging  him  to  do  a  benevolent  act  ;  and  he  hardened 
his  own  heart  by  resisting  my  appeal.  I  did  not 
make  the  appeal  to  him  for  the  sake  of  hardening  his 
heart.  I  had  a  benevolent  end  in  view. 

So  God  hardens  the  hearts  of  wicked  men  only  by 
the  efforts  He  makes  to  save  them  by  His  goodness 
and  mercy  and  judgment,  which  yet  they  resist.  He 
is  not  aiming  to  harden  them,  but  to  soften  them, 
and  lead  them  to  repentance. 

So  God  dealt  with  Pharaoh.  None  of  God's  deal- 
ings with  him  were  either  designed  or  calculated  to 
harden.  They  were  designed,  every  one  of  them,  to 
lead  him  to  do  right,  and  let  the  people  go.  Every 
one  of  the  plagues  sent  upon  him  had  this  natural 
tendency  ;  and  he  hardened  his  own  heart  by  resist- 
ance. Pharaoh  would  have  glorified  the  Almighty 
far  more,  and  in  a  far  better  way,  had  he  humbled 
himself  before  him  as  did  Nebuchadnezzar  under  the 
Divine  judgments  ;  but  as  he  would  not,  God  deter- 
mined, as  the  next  best  thing,  to  make  him  a  warn- 
ing to  the  nations  of  the  danger  of  resisting  the  Al- 
mighty. God  really  desired  him  to  be  obedient,  and 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.    117 

let  the  people  go  ;  but  as  he  would  not,  he  still  con- 
tinued his  dealings  with  him,  in  order  to  accomplish 
by  them  some  other  good  end. 

The  real  meaning,  therefore,  of  this  difficult  pas- 
sage is — that  God  wills  to  show  mercy  to  A  by  an 
eternal  purpose  to  make  direct  efforts  for  his 
conversion  and  salvation,  which  efforts  he  foreknows 
will  be  successful.* 

He  also  purposed  from  all  eternity  to  make  efforts 
for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  B,  which  He  fore- 
knew would  only  harden ;  but  He  makes  these 
efforts  only  for  the  sake  of  some  other  and  benevo- 
lent ends,  and  not  at  all  for  the  sake  of  hardening. 
The  resulting  hardness  and  final  perdition  of  B  are 
not  at  all  in  accordance  with  His  will  and  pleasure  ; 
for  He  is  ' '  not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but 
that  all  should  come  to  repentance."  (2  Pet.  iii :  9.) 
His  real  desire,  therefore,  is  that  B  would  yield  to 
these  efforts,  and  repent,  and  be  saved.  "  As  I  live, 
saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death 
of  the  wicked ;  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his 
ways  and  live."  (Eze.  xxxiii :  n.) 


*Here  is  a  definition  of  election,  covering  the  entire  Scriptural 
ground,  and  in  which,  it  would  appear,  that  the  Armenian  and  the 
Calvanist  can  cordially  agree,  viz.,  God's  eternal  purpose  to  makesucA 
efforts  for  a  man's  conversion  and  salvation  as  he  foreknows  will  be 
successful. 

It  differs  from  the  Calvanistic  position  in  not  asserting  the  doclrine 
of '•'special  grace,"  as  the  cause  of  conversion,  which  lacks  sufficient 
Scriptural  proof. 

It  differs  from  the  Armenian  view  in  not  rejecting  the  doctrine  of 
special  grace,  which,  after  all,  may  be  true.  The  Armenian  goes  as  far 
beyond  the  Scriptures  in  rejecting  it,  as  the  Calvanist  does  in  attesting 
it.  The  above  definition  stops  with  saying,  '•  God  makes  such  efforts/' 


Il8  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

God  hardens  wicked  men,  therefore,  only  in- 
directly— hardens  them  only  by  making  efforts  to 
soften  them.  The  wicked  man  himself  is  the  only 
direct  author  of  the  hardness,  and  he  shoulders  the 
entire  responsibility  for  this  melancholy  result. 
God,  therefore,  wills  the  mercy  directly,  and  the 
hardness  only  indirectly — wills  the  hardness  by 
making  efforts  to  save  which  He  foreknows  will  be 
unsuccessful. 

SEC.  7.     God  not  responsible  for  the  existence  of  sin. 

If  God  foresees  that,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  if  He 
create  a  system  of  free  moral  agents,  some  of  them 
will  certainly  sin,  why  does  not  this  act  of  creation, 
in  these  circumstances,  make  Him  responsible  for 
this  result?  And  why,  foreknowing  this  certain 
result,  should  He  not  have  abandoned  the  creation 
of  the  system  ? 

i .  Take  the  first  question — Why  is  he  not  respon- 
sible ?  Answer : 

He  made  the  first  sinful  beings  with  the  best  orig- 
inal constitution  they  could  have,  and  placed  them 
in  the  best  possible  circumstances  for  the  develop- 
ment of  a  holy  character,  and  could  do  nothing  better. 
In  short,  He  made  them,  as  He  makes  all  moral 
beings,  "  to  glorify  God  and  enjoy  him  forever;" 
and  this  they  can  do  only  by  holy  obedience.  He 
made  them,  therefore,  to  be  holy,  and  did  the  best 
that  could  be  done  to  have  them  so  ;  and,  therefore, 
for  the  sin  of  the  first  sinful  beings  He  is  no  way 
responsible.  He  is  responsible  for  the  existence  of 
the  moral  system,  but  not  for  the  perversion  of  free, 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.    119 

moral  agency  on  the  part  of  those  who  compose  it. 
He  is  not  responsible,  therefore,  for  the  entrance  of 
sin  into  the  system  ;  and,  moreover,  having  always 
worked  against  it,  with  the  very  energies  of  Omnip- 
otence, He  is  in  no  way  responsible  for  its  existence. 

2.  But  why,  if  the  Almighty  foresees  that  sin  is 
certain  to  result  from  the  creation  of  the  system, 
should  not  the  system  itself  have  been  abandoned  ? 
Answer : 

Because  holiness  and  consequent  happiness  will  al- 
so result  from  this  act  of  creation  ;  and  because  the 
holiness  and  happiness  resulting  from  an  eternity  of 
creation,  will  so  greatly  overbalance  the  sin  and 
misery,  that  to  sacrifice  the  one  to  the  other  would 
not  be  the  dictate  of  benevolence. 

To  illustrate — Suppose  a  man  contemplates  the 
founding  of  a  Christian  college.  Now  endow  him 
with  foreknowledge  to  see  that,  in  that  event,  a  few 
who  enter  it  will  abuse  their  privileges,  waste  time, 
talents,  and  opportunities,  and  become  dissipated  and 
ruined  ;  while  the  mass  will  graduate  with  honor, 
and  become  a  blessing  to  themselves,  their  friends, 
and  the  community  at  large.  Shall  he  abandon  the 
project  ?  Common-sense  says,  No.  Common-sense 
ever  decides  to  do  that  which  is  on  the  whole  for  the 
best,  in  any  and  all  conceivable  circumstances. 

Moreover,  in  the  case  supposed,  these  dissipated 
students  shoulder  the  entire  responsibility  of  their 
wrong-doing.  The  institution  is  not  in  fault,  and 
the  teachers  are  not  in  fault,  and  the  founder  is  not  in 
fault.  The  fault  is  all  their  own,  and  they  must  suf- 


120  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

fer  the  consequences.  The  best  has  been  done  for 
them  that  could  be  done. 

So  the  Almighty,  looking  out  upon  the  grand  and 
glorious  universe,  such  as  it  will  be  in  the  coming 
ages,  will  not  abandon  it  because  He  foresees  that  a 
few  moral  beings,  at  the  outset,  will  refuse  to  love 
and  obey  Him  ;  especially  when,  in  order  to  secure 
their  obedience  and  love,  He  will  do  all  He  can  do. 
No,  He  will  not,  for  their  wickedness,  be  diverted 
from  the  main  design.  He  will  do  what  is  on  the 
whole  for  the  best,  just  as  every  common-sense  man 
does  ;  and  will  carry  on  His  begun  universe  to  its 
grand  and  glorious  consummation. 

SEC.  8.      God's  abhorrence  of  sin  is  measureless. 

This  is  the  only  proper  representation  of  God's  re- 
lations to  sin. 

Men  persist  in  regarding  sin,  and  especially  their 
own  sin,  as  a  trivial  matter,  and  excuse  it,  and  pal- 
liate it,  and  construct  philosophical  systems  repre- 
senting it  as  on  the  whole  for  the  best.  But  apart 
from  human  philosophy  and  speculation,  and  that 
perverted  theological  teaching  which  makes  ' '  sin 
the  necessary  means  of  the  greatest  good  ; ' '  apart 
also  from  the  schemes  of  infidel  men  to  accommo- 
date matters  to  their  own  wicked  conduct,  and  so 
to  arrange  the  administration  of  the  Almighty,  that 
they  can  live  prayerless  and  godless  lives  here,  and 
yet  come  out  safe  in  the  end — apart  from  such 
things,  there  is  no  countenance  given  either  from 
reason,  or  revelation,  or  the  workings  of  God's  provi- 
dence in  the  world,  or  from  any  source  whatever,  to 


MORAL  EVIL  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ALMIGHTY.     121 

the  idea  that  God  has  any  other  views  or  feelings 
about  sin  than  those  of  unmitigated  loathing,  and 
an  infinite  preference  that  no  one  of  His  moral 
creatures  should  ever  have  committed  it.  Apart 
from  such  things,  the  whole  universe  of  God  cries 
out  against  the  supposition,  that  the  God  of  Heaven 
can  either  manifest  or  feel  the  least  favor  toward 
sin  ;  or  connive  in  any  way  at  its  commission  ;  or 
have  any  secret  preference  that  it  should  exist ;  and 
unites  in  condemning  sin,  in  all  circumstances,  as 
wholly  unnecessary,  good  for  nothing,  entirely 
mischievous,  the  source  of  all  calamity,  the  cause  of 
all  pain  and  suffering,  and  a  fountain  of  absolutely 
unmingled  evil. 

"What,"  you  say,  "is  there,  on  the  whole,  no 
good  end  secured  by  the  existence  of  sin  ?  ' '  None 
at  all.  In  every  relation  it  sustains  to  God's  uni- 
verse, its  existence  is  calamitous.  It  is  evil  and 
only  evil.  It  is  unmitigated  mischief ;  and  God  has 
arrayed  Himself  against  it  from  the  very  first,  with 
the  whole  energy  of  His  infinite  nature  ;  used  every  - 
possible  influence  against  it  ;  determined  on  the 
system  in  which  He  foresaw  it  would  exist,  only  be- 
cause, from  that  system,  as  a  moral  system,  He 
could  get,  in  spite  of  sin,  the  most  holiness  and  hap- 
piness ;  He  hates  it  everywhere  ;  loathes  it  every- 
where ;  desires  nothing  so  much  as  that  every  being 
who  is  committing  it  would  stop,  and  never  be  guilty 
of  another  sin  ;  regrets  exceedingly  that  any  one 
should  ever  have  committed  it ;  never  has  done  the 
least  thing  to  induce  him  to  commit  it ;  made  him 


122  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

"  upright"  at  the  outset,  that  is,  made  him  to  act 
rightly  ;  made  it  the  ' '  chief  end  ' '  of  his  existence 
"  to  glorify  God  and  enjoy  Him  forever,"  not  to  sin 
against  Him  ;  has  aimed  the  entire  round  of  His 
providential  dealings  with  Him  since  His  creation, 
against  His  sinning  ;  has  given  Him  every  conceiv- 
able warning,  brought  to  bear  on  Him  the  most  ter- 
rible threatenings  ;  made  Him  to  feel  the  mischief  of 
sin  in  His  own  bitter  experience,  and  in  all  his  deal- 
ings with  Him,  anywhere,  and  everywhere,  has 
been  working  steadily  against  sin. 

And  with  this  view  the  Bible  in  its  whole  spirit 
and  letter  accords.  It  arrays  itself  utterly  against 
all  such  wicked  notions  as  that  God  desires  the  ex- 
istence of  sin  in  His  universe  for  any  reason.  It  re- 
presents Him  as  arrayed  in  unqualified  hostility  both 
against  sin  and  sinners.  There  is  no  uncertain 
sound  in  the  language  of  the  Bible.  It  does  not  re- 
present God  as  hating  sin  in  the  abstract,  and  yet 
feeling  favor  toward  the  sinner  ;  nor  as  opposed  to 
the  sinner,  while  at  the  same  time,  for  some  reason, 
preferring,  on  the  whole,  His  sin  ;  but  it  represents 
Him  as  standing  up,  with  no  qualification  or  soften- 
ing whatever,  as  the  utter  antagonist  of  all  sin  and 
of  every  sinner — "  Thou  art  not  a  God  which  hath 
pleasure  in  wickedness,  neither  shall  evil  dwell  with 
Thee.  The  foolish  shall  not  stand  in  Thy  sight ; 
Thou  hatest  all  workers  of  iniquity."  (Ps.  v:5.) 

Such,  in  our  view,  are  the  relations  of  the  Al- 
mighty to  the  existing  sin  of  the  universe. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MORAL  EVIL  IN    ITS    RELATIONS     TO    THE    FALLEN 
ANGELS. 

The  Scripture  record  of  the  Fallen  Angels  is  brief 
but  decisive.  The  devil  first  appears  in  the  garden 
of  Eden  as  a  tempter  in  the  form  of  a  serpent,  and 
hence  is  called,  in  Rev.  xii :  9,  "That  old  serpent, 
the  devil."  He  is  also  called  in  Eph.  ii  :  2,  "  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,"  which  STUART 
translates,  "the  prince  of  the  aerial  host."  In  re- 
spect to  their  number,  those  possessing  one  man 
were  called  legion  ' '  because  they  were  many. ' ' 
From  2  Pet.  ii :  4  and  Jude  vi,  we  learn  that  they 
sinned  against  God,  and  were  cast  down  to  hell  for 
their  rebellion;  and  from  Matt,  xxv  :  41,  that  the 
place  for  the  final  punishment  of  ungodly  men  was 
prepared  originally  for  them.  These  are  the  main 
facts  recorded. 

SEC.  i.    When  were  they  created? 

As  they  are  the  first  moral  beings  mentioned  in 
the  Scriptures,  we  should  naturally  conclude  that 
they  were  the  first  created. 

The  usually  received  opinion  that  they  were  cre- 
ated at  the  same  time  with  the  Unfallen  Angels,  and 
that  both  existed  for  a  time  in  holiness  and  happi- 

123 


124  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

ness,  has  no  foundation  in  the  Scriptures,  and  will 
be  considered  when  we  come  to  speak  of  the  latter. 

SEC.  2.   Their  original  constitution. 

All  moral  beings  are  alike  in  the  essential  elements 
of  their  natures.  Intellect,  Sensibilities,  and  Will,  or 
the  power  of  thinking,  feeling,  and  choosing,  belong 
alike  to  every  one,  and  constitute,  in  each  and  all, 
'  the  image  of  God  ' '  in  which  Adam  is  declared  to, 
have  been  created.  At  all  events,  in  the  absence  of 
all  opposing  evidence,  this  is  assumed  to  have  been 
the  constitutional  nature  of  the  Fallen  Angels,  so 
that  they,  like  Adam,  were  made  with  an  Intellect 
to  know  God,  Sensibilities  to  feel  His  love,  and  a 
Will  qualifying  them  to  choose  His  service. 

That  the  original  nature  and  surrounding  circum- 
stances of  the  first  created  beings  must  have  been 
the  best  adapted  to  result  in  a  holy  character  and  in 
holy  conduct,  has  already  been  noticed.  What 
these  exact  circumstances  were,  we  are  next  to  con- 
sider. 

SEC.  3.     Circumstances  of  their  creation. 

It  is  interesting  to  contemplate  the  position  of  a 
company  of  moral  beings  coming  first  into  existence 
and  being  in  the  universe  alone  with  God ;  which 
we  suppose  to  have  been  the  position  of  the  Fallen 
Angels. 

i .  It  will  be  proper  to  notice  what  was  the  prob- 
able degree  of  maturity  appertaining  to  their  orig- 
inal constitution. 

It  would  be  most  natural  to  suppose  that,  like 
Adam,  they  were  created  in  the  full  possession  of 


MORAL  EVIL  :    RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.     125 

their  mental  and  moral  faculties,  and  were  prepared 
at  once  to  contemplate  the  peculiarities  of  their  situ- 
ation, to  survey  the  magnificence  of  the  material 
system,  and  to  be  charmed  with  its  order,  variety, 
and  beauty,  to  investigate  the  wonders  of  their  own 
mental  and  moral  constitution,  and  to  draw  from  all 
existing  sources  whatever  would  serve  to  illustrate 
the  power,  wisdom,  and  benevolence  of  God. 

2.  What  course  would  probably  be  pursued  with 
them  in  these  circumstances?  It  seems  probable 
that  God  would  reveal  himself  to  them,  claiming  to 
be  their  Creator,  as  well  as  the  Creator  and  Upholder 
of  all  the  vast  and  visible  frame  of  things — unfold 
to  them  his  character  and  attributes  so  far  as  there 
had  been  an  opportunity  for  their  manifestation,  and 
accumulate  before  their  minds  the  evidence  existing 
of  the  nature  and  extent  of  their  obligations  to  love 
and  obey  Him,  so  as  to  render  them  inexcusable  for 
.withholding  obedience. 

SEC.  4.      Their  Probation. 

The  first  moral  beings,  therefore,  and,  as  we  sup- 
pose, all  moral  beings,  having  an  innate  tendency 
to  break  away  from  the  restraints  of  law  and  gov- 
ernment, and  thus  to  resist  the  Almighty,  would 
need,  at  the  outset  of  their  career,  like  Adam  in  the 
garden,  a  trial  of  allegiance.  This  trial  we  term, 
in  theological  phrase,  Probation  ;  and  it  is  probably 
needed  by  all  newly  created  beings  as  they  enter  on 
their  eternal  existence. 

What  the  nature  and  circumstances  of  this  proba- 
tion would  probably  be,  we  can  only  conjecture  from 


126  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

the  recorded  experience  of  Adam,  the  only  moral 
being  of  whose  earliest  history  we  have  any  record. 

The  first  commands  which  God  imposed  on  Adam 
were  those  which  fell  in  entirely  with  his  natural 
inclinations,  namely,  the  law  of  marriage  and  the 
Sabbath,  and  the  command  to  dress  and  keep  the 
garden.  But  these  commands,  and  any  similar 
ones,  were  no  test  of  allegiance — no  indication  what 
he  would  do  should  his  natural  inclinations  be 
crossed.  And  furthermore,  no  such  acls  of  obedi- 
ence, merely,  would  have  confirmed  him  in  holiness; 
for  they  were  very  far  from  involving  the  requisite 
degree  of  submission  to  the  Divine  will  ;  and  a  cer- 
tain and  proper  amount  of  trial,  as  his  condudl  after- 
ward showed,  would  have  been  sufficient,  at  any 
time,  to  induce  him  to  abandon  his  Maker. 

But  what  would  have  confirmed  him  ? 

The  answer  is — Had  he  not  eaten  of  the  forbidden 
fruit;  had  he  steadily  refused,  at  this  point,  all 
solicitations  to  disobedience,  both  from  his  natural 
inclinations  and  the  assaults  of  the  tempter  —  in 
which  case  he  would  have  resisted  his  natural  incli- 
nations, and  denied  himself  at  the  command  of  God 
— this  adl  of  obedience,  in  these  circumstances,  would 
have  required  such  an  amount  of  self-denial,  and 
would  have  involved  such  a  degree  of  submission  to 
the  Divine  Will,  as  undoubtedly  to  have  fortified 
him  against  all  subsequent  temptation,  and,  there- 
fore, have  confirmed  him  in  obedience  forever  ;  and 
for  this  it  was  that  the  trial  was  ordained. 

Reasoning,  therefore,  from  analogy,  we  conclude 


MORAL  EVIL  t    RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.    127 

it  altogether  probable,  that  every  newly  created 
being  will  need  a  similar  probation  in  order  to  be- 
come confirmed  in  obedience  to  God  ;  and  that  his 
moral  character  forever  will  depend  upon  whether 
he  can  be  induced,  at  the  outset  of  his  career,  to 
practice  the  requisite  amount  of  self-denial  at  the 
command  of  the  Almighty. 

We  assume,  therefore,  that  God  will  give  every 
intelligent  being,  at  the  commencement  of  his  exist- 
ence, a  suitable  trial — a  probation,  as  an  opportunity 
for  him  to  become  confirmed  in  eternal  obedience  to 
himself. 

It  is  obvious  that  the  results  of  this  probation 
must  be  decisive.  If  at  this  turning  point,  and 
under  a  fair  trial,  the  free,  moral  agent  resolves  to 
obey  God,  his  future  character  will  be  settled  on  the 
side  of  holiness ;  and  this  determined  resistance  to 
sinful  inducement,  will  lay  broad  and  deep  the  foun- 
dations of  his  everlasting  blessedness. 

It  follows,  also,  that  if  at  this  point  he  disobeys 
God,  his  future  character  will  be  determined  toward 
unholiness  and  misery  ;  and  as  sin  tends  ever  to 
perpetuate  itself,  that  there  will  be  no  hope  of  res- 
toration to  the  forfeited  favor  of  God,  unless  God 
interpose,  as  He  has  in  this  world,  with  a  scheme  of 
recovering  grace. 

The  object  in  imposing  this  trial  at  a  compara- 
tively early  period  va.  his  history,  may  be  twofold. 

i .  It  may  be  a  matter  of  certainty  to  the  Divine 
mind,  should  such  trial  be  omitted  at  the  outset, 
and  could  a  moral  being,  or  any  number  of  such,  be 


128  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

prevented  without  it  from  transgression  for  any 
definite  time,  however  long,  that  sooner  or  later, 
there  would  result  a  far  more  extended  and  disas- 
trous rebellion,  than  if  all  such  beings  were  tried  at 
the  commencement  of  their  existence — or  at  least  as 
soon  as  their  knowledge  of  the  character  and  attri- 
butes of  God  and  their  relations  to  Him,  had 
imposed  upon  them  the  necessary  degree  of  moral 
responsibility. 

2.  At  the  outset  of  his  career  he  may  be  more 
likely  to  pass  the  trial  in  safety. 

It  is  not  at  all  incredible,  that,  at  any  subsequent 
period,  his  relations  to  the  universe  might  become 
more  complicated,  the  obstacles  within  him  and 
around  him  to  his  required  submission  to  the  Divine 
will,  increased  both  in  number  and  magnitude,  and 
his  entire  position  more  unfavorable  in  all  respects, 
for  becoming  confirmed  in  holiness.  In  this  view, 
a  trial  at  the  outset ',  would  seem  to  be  the  dictate  of 
benevolence. 

It  was  probably  necessary,  therefore,  that  the 
Fallen  Angels  should  have  a  probation, — a  trial  of 
their  allegiance  to  God ;  and  that  this  probation 
should  be  preceded  by  all  the  knowledge  of  God, — 
of  His  character,  His  government  and  His  works, 
which  could  be  unfolded  to  them  ;  so  that  when  the 
trial  of  allegiance  came  they  would  feel  uuder  per- 
fect obligation  to  render  Him  instant  and  unqualified 
obedience.  Adam  lived  for  months,  and  probably 
years  before  his  fall,  studying  the  works  and  won- 
ders of  the  Great  Architect,  and  thus  reaching  the 


MORAL  EVIL  :    RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.    129 

point  of  intelligent  responsibility.  At  least  time 
enough  intervened  for  him  to  "give  names  to  all 
cattle,  and  to  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  to  every  beast 
of  the  field  ;  "  (Gen.  ii :  19,  20.)  each  name  doubt- 
less corresponding  with  the  peculiar  appearance  and 
habits  of  the  different  species  as  he  leisurely  studied 
and  admired  them.  During  this  time  he  was  be- 
coming acquainted  with  the  character  and  perfec- 
tions of  God  through  His  material  works,  which, 
with  the  exception  of  His  firmness  in  the  punish- 
ment of  the  rebel  angels,  furnished  the  only  field  on 
which  those  perfections  had  been  exhibited.  Similar 
to  his  experience  was  doubtless  that  of  the  Fallen 
Angels,  so  far  as  becoming  acquainted  with  God, 
and  their  relations  to  Him  was  concerned.  Ample 
time  and  opportunity  were  afforded  them  for  reach- 
ing the  point  of  intelligent  responsibility. 

Then  doubtless  came  the  trial  of  allegiance,  what- 
ever it  may  have  been,  which  was  essential  to  their 
confirmed  obedience  and  eternal  happiness ;  and 
this  required,  perhaps,  that  there  should  have  been 
some  restriction  imposed  upon  them,  similar  to  that 
imposed  on  Adam  as  the  test  of  his  allegiance. 

It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  God  imposed  on  the 
Fallen  Angels  such  a  restriction — the  very  best  which 
could  be  imposed — one  precisely  adapted  to  their 
constitution,  and  the  peculiarities  of  their  situation, 
and  demanded  of  them  compliance  with  it  as  the 
only  possible  security  for  their  future  welfare. 

He  held  up  before  them  the  unending  happiness 
which  would  follow  their  self-denial  and  submission 


130  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

to  himself ;  He  represented  the  sad  consequences  of 
their  refusal  to  obey — even  the  fearful  penalty  of 
being  forever  excluded  from  His  favor,  saying  to 
them  in  solemn  and  impressive  language,  ' '  In  the 
day  that  this  command  is  broken  ye  shall  surely 
die,"  and  presented  before  their  minds  all  possible 
motives  to  deter  them  from  transgression. 

The  sad  result  of  this  probation  we  learn  from  the 
declaration  of  the  Bible  :  ' '  The  angels  which  kept  not 
their  first  estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation ,  He  hath 
reserved  in  everlasting  chains  under  darkness  unto 
the  Judgment  of  the  Great  Day. ' '  (Jude  6. ) 

They  sinned  and  fell,  notwithstanding  all  that 
was  done  to  prevent  it.  And  theirs  was  a  melan- 
choly and  a  dreadful  fall ;  and  the  more  so  because 
it  was  a  hopeless  one,  and  no  possibility  existed  that 
any  provisions  of'mercy  could  save  them  from  their 
doom.  Thus  much  for  their  general  history. 

And  here  the  question  arises — why  was  not  sin 
prevented  by  the  use  of  stronger  motives  at  the 
outset  f  This  leads  to  the  consideration  of  the  fol- 
lowing section  : 

SEC.  5.     Motives. 

There  is  no  reason  for  supposing  that  any  in- 
fluence could  properly  have  been  brought  to  bear 
upon  the  Fallen  Angels  to  bind  them  in  affectionate 
obedience  to  God,  but  that  of  simple  motive. 

It  was  doubtless  necessary  that  having  created 
them  with  the  best  original  constitution  they  could 
have — created  them  like  Adam  ' '  in  His  own  image, ' ' 
placed  them  in  circumstances  best  adapted  to  develop 


MORAL  EVIL  :    RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.    I$l 

a  perfect  moral  character,  and  brought  them  under 
the  influence  of  all  existing  motives  to  obedience — 
that  then,  God  should  leave  them  to  form  their  own 
moral  characters  by  their  own  free  conduct  under 
the  influence  of  these  motives  ;  and  that  the  exertion 
of  any  power  or  influence  beyond  this,  emanating 
directly  from  God  himself,  as,  for  example,  the 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  would  be  entirely 
inconsistent  with  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  in- 
consistent with  the  majesty  of  law,  with  the  stability 
of  government,  and  with  the  entire  welfare  of  the 
moral  universe.  [This  was  noticed  in  Chap.  Ill, 
Sec.  3.] 

Now  it  is  easily  conceivable  that  at  the  dawn  of 
the  moral  creation,  there  may  not  have  been  a  suffi- 
cient amount  of  motive  in  existence  actually  to  lead 
the  Fallen  Angels  to  surrender  themselves  in  willing 
obedience  to  God,  even  though  all  the  motives 
which  the  universe  then  furnished  had  been  accu- 
mulated before  their  minds. 

Especially  will  this  appear  plausible  when  we 
consider  the  peculiarities  of  their  position,  and  what 
motives  were  wanting,  and  must  have  been,  from 
the  very  nature  of  the  case,  to  deter  them  from 
transgression,  and  which  have  since  been  brought 
into  existence. 

i.  They  had  no  conception,  either  from  experi- 
ence or  observation,  of  the  nature  of  suffering, 
especially  of  that  fearful  form  denominated  punish- 
ment, and  which  wherever  justly  inflicted,  is  mingled 
ever  with  the  terrible  ingredient  of  remorse. 


132  THE   ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

2.  They  had  no  such   warning  before  them  to 
deter  them  from  transgression,  as  the  universe  now 
has,  in  the  example  of  beings  sinning  and  receiving 
deserved  punishment. 

3.  They  had  no  palpable  evidence  like  this  of  the 
veracity  of  God,  and  that  He  would  be  true  to  His 
threatenings,  however  dreadful. 

4.  They  had,    therefore,    no  such  reason  to  fear 
him,  and  to  look  upon  him,  not  merely  as  a  benevo- 
lent Creator,  but  as  the  great  and  terrible  Jehovah, 
which  the  universe  now  has,  and  which  leads  the 
hosts  of  Heaven  to  exclaim,   "Who  shall  not  fear 
thee,  O  I<ord?  "     (Rev.  xv  :  14.) 

5.  And,  furthermore,  they  had  witnessed  no  mani- 
festation of  mercy  on  the  part  of  God.     His  compas- 
sion for  the  sinful  had  never  been  made  known  to 
them,  for  there  had  been  no  occasion  for  its  exhibi- 
tion.    That  overpowering  disclosure  of  all  that  is 
tender,  melting  and  winning,  which  has  since  been 
made  in  the  sufferings  and  death  of  God's  only  Son 
for  man's  redemption,  and  which  furnishes  a  motive 
for  love  and  obedience  to  God  infinitely  surpassing 
all  others,  could  not  have  been  made  to  them.     All 
this  vast  amount  of  motive  has  been  created  by  God's 
dealings  with  His  moral  universe  since  the  creation 
and  fall  of  the  first  sinful  beings  ;  and  the  conclusion 
therefore  is,  that,  at  the  time  of  their  creation,  there 
may  not  have  been  sufficient  motives  in  existence 
actually  to  deter  them  from  daring  the  tremendous 
experiment  of  disobedience. 

But  it  may  be  objected  that  in  the  absence  of  such 


MORAL  EVIL  :    RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.    133 

motives,  their  conduct  was  excusable,  and  that  they 
could  not  justly  be  punished  for  their  transgression. 
L,et  us,  therefore,  look  at  the  other  side  and  see 
what  motives  they  resisted,  and  what  an  amount  of 
light  they  sinned  against. 

1 .  They  undoubtedly  had  abundant  evidence  that 
God  was  their  Creator.     The  perceived  exertion  of 
His  creative  power  in  the  formation  of  the  worlds, 
together  with  His  own  declarations  to  them,  would 
give  them  abundant  evidence  that  He  was  also  their 
Creator. 

2.  Abundant  evidence  might  have  been  furnished 
them  that  He  was  their  Preserver  also,  on  whom 
they  were  ever  dependent  for  the  continuance  of  ex- 
istence.    Even  as,  at  His  word,  world  after  world, 
and  system  after  system  rose  from  nothing,  so  at  His 
word,  they  may  have  been  seen  to  return  again  to 
their  original  nothingness ;  and  the  strong  convic- 
tion thus  have  been  fastened  on  their  minds,  that  all 
existence  depended  solely  on  Him  for  continuance. 

3.  That  He  was  their  kind  benefactor  and  friend, 
they  would  learn  from  the  happiness  they  experi- 
enced in  their  intercourse  with  Him,  and  from  His 
constant  ministrations  to  their  enjoyment,  and  from 
all  His  relations  to  them,  revealing  Himself,  as  He 
ever  must  have  done,  in  ceaseless  acts  of  kindness, 
tenderness  and  love — the  overflowing  of  His  benevo- 
lent nature  and  character. 

4.  Abundant  evidence  could  also  have  been  fur- 
nished them  of  His  perfect  wisdom.     All  the  evidence 
that  we  now  have  in  the  wonderful  adaptation  of 


134  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

means  to  ends  of  which  our  world  is  full,  was  wide 
open  to  their  inspection.  Nor  could  any  reason  be 
discovered  why  that  wisdom  was  not  infinite. 

5.  Nor  could  there  have  been  the  least  reason  for 
limiting  His  power.  They  saw  before  them  the  same 
stupendous  exhibitions  of  it  which  we  see,  and  must 
have  felt  that  the  Divine  energy  was  adequate  to  the 
production  of  all  possible  acts  or  events. 

From  this  brief  sketch  of  the  amount  of  evidence 
which  they  must  have  had  respecting  the  character 
and  attributes  of  God,  it  readily  appears  that  they 
must  have  been  under  full  and  perfect  obligation  to 
His  love  and  service  ;  and  that  any  failure  to  render 
Him  instant  and  unqualified  obedience  was  utterly 
unreasonable  and  without  excuse  ;  for  if,  to  have 
good  and  sufficient  evidence  respecting  a  being  that 
He  is  our  Creator,  Preserver,  and  constant  and  kind 
Benefactor,  as  well  as  that,  in  respect  to  His  general 
character,  He  is  entirely  able  and  perfectly  disposed 
to  secure  the  best  ends  by  the  wisest  means,  does  not 
impose  a  full  and  perfect  obligation  of  love  and  ser- 
vice to  Him,  then  it  is  impossible  to  conceive  that 
anything  else  could.  And  yet,  it  was  against  this 
clear  light  that  they  sinned,  and  no  reason  appears, 
therefore,  why  they  did  not  merit  a  condemnation 
exactly  proportioned  to  the  extent  of  their  obliga- 
tions. 

To  illustrate  this — Suppose  a  teacher  to  be  intro- 
duced for  the  first  time  to  a  school  of  a  hundred 
scholars  of  advanced  standing.  Suppose  him  to 
devise  the  very  best  system  of  rules  for  its  regula- 


MORAL  EVIL:     RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.    135 

tion,  and  to  annex  to  their  violation  appropriate 
penalties.  The  rules  are  reasonable  and  are  seen  to 
be  such.  That  they  emanate  from  rightful  authority 
is  not  questioned.  All  feel  under  full  and  perfedt 
obligation  to  obey  them.  But  of  the  firmness  of  the 
teacher  in  punishing  transgression  they  have  no  evi- 
dence either  from  experience  or  observation. 

In  these  circumstances  it  is  very  probable  that 
some  will  transgress.  What  shall  be  done  with 
them?  The  teacher  is  compassionate  and  would 
gladly  overlook  the  offense.  But  can  he  ?  All  eyes 
are  upon  him.  His  own  character  is  at  stake.  The 
estimation  in  which  he  will  be  held  hereafter,  the 
obedience  of  the  remainder,  in  short,  the  entire  wel- 
fare of  his  little  realm,  are  depending  upon  his  firm- 
ness at  this  crisis.  He  must  punish  as  he  has 
threatened.  And  who  would  say  that  the  punish- 
ment was  not  justly  inflicted?  True,  the  degree  of 
firmness  he  possessed,  not  having  been  tested,  had 
not  been  witnessed,  and  could  not  have  been,  and 
the  pain  of  punishment  had  not  been  experienced. 

But  who  thinks,  on  this  account,  of  excusing  the 
delinquents  ?  Who  would  say  that  their  punishment 
was  not  richly  merited  ?  They  understood  the  law. 
They  saw  its  reasonableness.  They  acknowledged 
the  rightful  authority  of  the  teacher.  They  had 
abundant  reason  for  believing  him  benevolent. 
They  felt  under  perfect  moral  obligation  to  obey 
him.  And  for  these  reasons  all  would  admit  that 
their  condudl  was  entirely  inexcusable.  Three 
things  in  this  illustration  distinctly  appear. 


136  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

1 .  The  punishment  inflicted  in  such  circumstances 
is  perfectly  just. 

2.  It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  save  the  character 
of  the  teacher  and  prevent  anarchy  and  insubordina- 
tion from  extending  to  all  under  his  control. 

3.  It  is  in  the  highest  degree  commendable,  for 
by  it  his  character  for  firmness  is  established,  new 
motives  to  obedience  are  created,  and  this  act  of 
justice,  together  with  other  exhibitions  of  his  benev- 
olent character,  will  so  win  their  respect  and  affec- 
tion, that  they  will  cheerfully  submit  to  his  author- 
ity, and  their  best  welfare  be  secured. 

So  the  Almighty  would  doubtless  present  Himself 
before  the  first  moral  beings,  claim  to  be  their  Crea- 
tor, Preserver,  and  Benefactor,  and  furnish  them 
with  abundant  proof  that  He  sustained  to  them  such 
a  relation.  He  would  give  them  His  L,aw  with  its 
appropriate  sanctions,  make  them  to  understand  it, 
and  see  its  reasonableness,  and  to  feel  that  He  was 
actuated  by  the  most  benevolent  intentions  in  giving 
it,  and  convince  them  that  their  own  best  welfare 
would  be  secured  by  yielding  to  it  unqualified  obe- 
dience, and  thus  lay  them  under  full  and  perfect 
obligations  to  submit  unconditionally  to  His  au- 
thority. 

And  in  all  probability,  it  was  in  precisely  such 
circumstances  that  they  transgressed.  And  why 
should  not  the  threatened  penalty  be  executed  ? 
They  had  indeed  no  evidence  of  the  awful  firmness 
of  Jehovah — they  had  not  before  them  the  example 
of  other  beings  sinning  and  receiving  punishment. 


MORAL  EVIL:     RELATIONS  TO   FALLEN  ANGELS.    137 

Neither  had  there  been  any  exhibition  of  His  mercy 
in  pardon.  These  and  other  motives,  since  brought 
into  existence,  must  have  been  wanting.  Still  they 
did  know  and  feel  that  they  were  under  imperative 
obligations  to  love,  serve,  and  obey  God  ;  so  that 
their  sin  was  a  daring  and  high-handed  rebellion 
against  the  authority  of  God,  and  a  wilful  and 
wicked  determination  to  overthrow  Him  and  His 
government — as  daring,  wilful,  wicked  and  inexcus- 
able as  sin,  at  that  stage  of  the  creation,  could  possibly 
be.  And  so,  in  the  circumstances,  nothing  could  be 
done  with  them  but  to  punish  them  as  they  deserved. 

Indeed,  no  reason  appears  why  it  may  not  be  said 
with  equal  propriety  of  them  as  of  the  heathen  of 
our  world — ' '  The  invisible  things  of  Him  from  the 
creation  of  the  worlds  were  clearly  seen,  being  under- 
stood by  the  things  that  were  made,  even  His 
eternal  power  and  divine  excellence,  so  that  they 
were  without  excuse"  (Rom.  i:  20),  and  deserved 
the  penalty  inflidled  on  them  for  their  rebellion. 
Their  guilt  was  proportioned  to  the  light  enjoyed, 
as  guilt  always  is,  and  they  were  punished  accord- 
ingly. 

It  is  not  seen,  therefore,  why  the  principles  derived 
from  the  foregoing  illustration  may  not  be  equally 
applicable  to  the  sinning  angels. 

1.  Their  punishment  was  just — it  was  deserved 
punishment. 

2.  It  was  necessary  to  save  the  character  of  the 
Lawgiver,  and  uphold  the  majesty  of  His  govern- 
ment. 


138  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

3.  Perhaps  also  it  was  necessary  in  order  to  arrest 
the  spread  of  rebellion,  and  thus  save  the  universe 
from  far  greater  suffering.  We  shall  notice  this 
hereafter. 

The  foregoing  view  appears  to  be  consistent  both 
with  the  Benevolence  and  the  Omnipotence  of  the 
Deity. 

First — It  does  not  sacrifice  His  Benevolence,  for 
the  reason  that  it  does  not  appear  that  anything 
better  could  have  been  done  than  has  been  done. 

1.  Not  to  create  a  system  of   free  moral  agents 
would  be  to  lose  the  happiness  which  will  be  secured 
by  a  moral  universe  extending  through  the  endless 
ages — a  universe,  therefore,  of  limitless  value  and 
excellence,  because  containing  in  itself  unbounded 
holiness,  benevolence,  and  blessedness  multiplying 
evermore.     Hence  the  existence  of  a  moral  system. 

2.  An  infinite  being  cannot  be  created.     Hence 
finite  moral  beings. 

3.  Such  finite  moral  beings  as  exist  are  the  best 
which  could  be  created,  for  they  were  made  in  God's 
own  image,  and  were  placed  from  the  first  in  the 
best  possible  position  for  remaining  obedient. 

4.  Such  beings  could  be  governed  by  nothing  but 
motives,  and  all  existing  motives  were  brought  into 
requisition,  to  prevent  their  transgression,  and  what 
more  could  be  done  f 

Neither,  in  the  second  place,  does  it  sacrifice  His 
Omnipotence,  but  only  limits  it,  as  it  must  ever  be 
limited,  by  the  nature  of  things  ;  and  which  reflects 
no  more  dishonor  on  his  perfections,  than  would  be 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.     139 

done  by  the  position  that  Omnipotence  cannot  cause 
a  thing  to  be  and  not  to  be  at  the  same  tune ;  for 
according  to  the  foregoing  view, 

1.  Moral  beings  are  such  that,   by  their  very 
natures,    they  can  be  controlled   by  nothing    but 
motives. 

2.  The  only  motives  which  will  actually  restrain 
them  from  disobedience  are  those  created  by  the 
dealings  of  God  with  other  moral  beings. 

3.  These  motives  cannot  in  the  nature  of  things 
exist,  until  such  beings  have  been  created  and  have 
become  the  subjects  of  such  dealings,  and  cannot 
therefore  exist  at   the  commencement    of   a  moral 
administration  ; — for  motives  drawn  from  the  exhibi- 
tion of  God's  justice  and  mercy  in  His  treatment  of 
sinners,   manifestly  cannot    exist     before  such   an 
exhibition  has  been  made  ;  and  the  exhibition  can- 
not be  made,  until  moral  beings  have  been  created 
and  have  sinned  ;  and  if  sin  has  arisen  for  the  want 
of  such  an  exhibition,  then  it  has  arisen  from  the 
absence  of  that  which,  at  the  commencement  of  a 
moral  administration,  cannot  exist. 

In  this  view  it  appears  to  be  nothing  derogatory 
to  the  perfections  of  the  Deity  to  say  that  the  sin  of 
the  Fallen  Angels  could  not  have  been  prevented 
even  by  Omnipotence,  except  by  their  non-creation. 
If  created,  they  would  certainly  sin,  notwithstanding 
all  that  could  properly  be  done  to  prevent  it ;  so 
that,  so  far  as  the  Divine  prevention  was  concerned, 
their  sin  was  unavoidable. 

As  the  case  of  the  Fallen  Angels  is  under  consid- 


140  THE   ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

eration,  it  has  been  thought  best  to  notice  some 
other  fa<5ts  respecting  them,  which  appear  to  be  ot 
interest,  though  not  in  the  exadl  line  of  our  argu- 
ment. These  will  appear  in  the  two  following  sec- 
tions. 

SEC.  6.      Why  have  they  not  been  redeemed  ? 

Said  a  ship-carpenter  at  the  close  of  a  preaching 
service  in  the  ship-yard,  in  which  the  writer  had 
been  expatiating  on  the  benevolence  of  God,  "If 
God  is  so  good,  why  did  he  not  redeem  the  Angels ? ' ' 
What  answer  was  given  to  the  question  is  not  now 
remembered;  and  the  incident  is  mentioned  only  to 
show  that  even  the  common  mind  ponders  such 
matters,  and,  therefore,  that  the  discussion  of  the 
point  is  not  by  any  means  out  of  place. 

The  Revised  Version  of  Heb.  ii :  16,  reads  thus, 
"  For  verily  not  of  angels  doth  he  take  hold,  but  he 
taketh  hold  of  the  seed  of  Abraham."  We  learn 
from  this  that  no  provisions  of  redemption  have 
been  made  for  them.  Why  not?  Not  certainly 
from  any  want  of  benevolence  in  the  Almighty,  nor 
from  any  want  of  adequacy  in  the  provisions  of 
redemption,  for  the  atonement  is  an  infinite  provi- 
sion. Very  likely  the  reason  is  two-fold. 

First. — That  the  same  self-will  and  impatience  of 
restraint  which  led  them  at  first  to  rejedl  the  author- 
ity of  God  and  resist  His  control,  would  have  led 
them  still  to  resist  Him  and  refuse  submission  under 
any  possible  efforts  for  their  restoration.  For 

i.  Their  sin  was  an  intelligent  and  deliberate 
purpose  of  rebellion  against  God. 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.      141 

2.  It  was  a  rebellion  growing  out  of  their  dislike 
of  the  control  of  the  Almighty. 

3.  When  that  control  was  still  further  asserted  by 
their  punishment,  it  could  not  but  intensify  their 
opposition,    and  stir  up  a  still    more  determined 
resistance  to  His  authority.     Therefore, 

4.  Any  offer  of  pardon  on  the  condition  of  humble 
submission  to  the  Almighty,  the  hearty  acknowl- 
edgement of  wrong,  and  an  entire  acquiescence  in 
the  justice  of  their  punishment,  would  be  rejected 
with  loathing  ;  and  Milton  is  true  to  the  nature  of 
the  rebel  soul  when  he  puts  it  into  the  mouth  of  the 
Fallen  Seraph — "  Better  to  reign  in  hell  than  serve 
in  heaven."     The  very  idea  of  submission  to  the 
Almighty  would  be  inexpressibly  loathsome ;  and 
they  would  deliberately  choose  hell  in  preference 
to  it. 

Secondly. — It  may  also  be  true  that  the  confidence 
in  God  necessary  to  repentance  cannot  be  awakened 
within  them.  The  sin  of  the  angels  must  have  been 
as  inexcusable  as  sin  could  possibly  be  at  that  stage 
of  the  creation;  for  assuming,  as  we  have,  that  they 
were  the  first  of  created  beings,  no  temptation  could 
have  been  presented  from  without,  and  they  must 
have  sinned  from  mere  wilfulness.  It  was  a  deter- 
mination to  abandon  God  and  defy  His  authority, 
as  deliberate  and  wilful  as  such  a  determination 
could  then  be.  Now  here  in  this  world  the  most 
aggravated  forms  of  sin  appear  to  throw  the  ones 
committing  them  beyond  the  possibility  of  recover}'. 
A  point  in  depravity  is  not  unfrequently  reached 


142  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

when  the  remembrance  of  past  sin  becomes  so  fearful 
as  to  drive  the  sinner  to  despair.  He  dares  not  hope 
for  mercy,  and  leaves  the  world  with  the  certainty 
before  him  of  perdition,  exclaiming  perchance,  as 
did  the  dying  apostate,  Francis  Spira,  "O,  the  insuf- 
ferable pangs  of  hell  and  damnation ! ' '  The  Bible 
also  mentions  a  sin  so  peculiarly  aggravated  as  to 
render  it  ' '  impossible ' '  for  him  who  commits  it  "to 
be  renewed  to  repentance ' '  (Hebrews  vi :  4) ;  that 
is,  even  God's  omnipotent  Spirit  cannot  renew  him, 
for  the  renewal  of  the  heart  is  His  peculiar  office 
work.  The  clear  representation  here  is  that  the 
commission  of  this  sin  throws  him,  by  the  very 
nature  of  his  mental  and  moral  constitution,  beyond 
the  possibility  of  renewal.  "  Another  terrific  declara- 
tion is  that  for  him  who  ' '  sins  wilfully  after  he  hath 
received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  there  remaineth 
no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  certain  fearful  look- 
ing for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation"  (He- 
brews x :  26,  27).  And  why  may  not  a  similar 
effect  invariably  follow  the  commission  of  the  most 
deliberate  sin — sin  not  following  external  temptation 
— sin  such  as  the  devil  committed  ?  Who  shall  say 
that  to  the  mind  of  the  Fallen  Angel  there  comes  not 
the  remembrance  of  goodness  unrequited  and  warn- 
ings unheeded,  with  such  fearful  vividness,  unaccom- 
panied by  any  palliating  circumstance,  as  to  render 
his  return  to  God  and  holiness  morally  impossible  ? 
We  suppose  this  to  be  the  exadl  condition  of  the 
Fallen  Angels.  Their  sin  is  so  aggravated  and  their 
remorse  so  terrible  that  the  confidence  in  God  neces- 


MORAL  EVIL:     RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.    143 

sary  to  repentance  cannot  be  awakened  within  them, 
and  they  are  bound  thus,  by  the  very  nature  of  their 
sin,  to  confirmed  and  hopeless  impenitence,  so  that 
any  plan  of  redemption  for  them  would  have  been 
unavailing. 

SEC.  7.      Their  punishment. 

The  punishment  of  the  Fallen  Angels  is  distinctly 
asserted  in  the  following  passages  : 

' '  Depart  ye  cursed  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared 
for  the  devil  and  his  angels"  (Matt,  xxv  :  41.) 

' '  God  spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned,  but  cast 
them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered  them  into  chains 
of  darkness  to  be  reserved  unto  judgment."  (2  Pet. 
ii:  4.) 

' '  The  angels  which  kept  not  their  first  estate,  but 
left  their  own  habitation,  he  hath  reserved  in  ever- 
lasting chains  under  darkness  unto  the  judgment  of 
the  great  day. ' '  (Jude  6. ) 

' '  The  devil  that  deceived  them  was  cast  into  the 
lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  where  the  beast  and  the 
false  prophet  are,  and  shall  be  tormented  day  and 
night  forever  and  ever."  (Rev.  xx  •.  10.) 

The  duration  of  their  punishment  and  of  future 
punishment  generally,  will  be  considered  hereafter. 

It  is  thought  best  in  this  immediate  connection, 
though  anticipating  somewhat,  to  notice  a  fact  in 
their  history  stated  in  Rev.  xxth  chapter  respecting 
Satan  and  his  fallen  hosts  :  that  there  shall  come  a 
time  when  he  shall  be  cast  into  ' '  the  bottomless 
pit,"  and  be  confined  there  "a  thousand  years;" 
then  after  that  period  be  released  from  his  confine- 


144  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

ment  for  "a  little  season,"  to  go  out  and  "  deceive 
the  nations. ' '  Why  be  loosed  at  all  ?  The  follow- 
ing is  merely  suggested  :  All  the  present  arrange- 
ments of  this  world,  and  all  that  may  take  place 
during  its  entire  history,  in  the  view  herein  pre- 
sented, are  only  in  the  way  of  preparation  for  the 
Endless  Future,  and  to  lay  its  foundations  securely. 

Now  it  is  possible  that  at  some  time  in  the  coming 
ages,  and  among  future  races,  the  thought  might 
come  up,  gradually  ripening  into  an  extended  opin- 
ion— the  same  as  is  now  entertained  by  the  Restora- 
tionists — that  suffering  was  a  remedial  agency  ;  and 
that  if  the  wicked,  after  having  experienced  the  real 
terrors  and  torments  of  perdition,  could  only  be 
released  from  their  confinement,  they  would  gladly 
avail  themselves  of  this  clemency  of  the  Almighty, 
and  return  to  right  living  and  right  acting.  Under 
this  impression,  they  might  begin  to  question  the 
benevolence  of  God  in  their  continued  confinement, 
just  as  men  in  the  Church  and  out  of  it,  are  continu- 
ally doing  now  ;  and,  therefore,  the  foregoing  ex- 
periment with  them,  mentioned  in  Revelation,  be 
needed  to  correct  any  misapprehension  of  this  mat- 
ter, proving,  as  it  did,  that  the  character  of  the 
wicked  was  still  unchanged  by  their  confinement  and 
punishment ;  and  were  they  released  from  it,  the 
only  result  would  be  that  they  would  at  once  com- 
mence working  against  God,  and  His  kingdom,  and 
the  general  welfare,  with  the  same  energy,  persist- 
ency, and  malignity  as  before. 

We  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  Fallen  Angels 


MORAL  EVIL:     RELATIONS  TO  FALLEN  ANGELS.    145 

sinned  remedilessly  ;  and  as  they  were  placed  in  the 
best  possible  circumstances  for  remaining  sinless, 
that  any  other  race  of  beings  would  also  sin  as  they 
did,  from  the  impulses  of  their  original  constitution. 
But  to  continue  the  creation  of  moral  beings  with 
the  certainty  that  they  would  rebel  and  be  lost, 
would  not  be  benevolent.  If,  therefore,  the  creation 
of  moral  beings  is  to  continue,  the  problem  must  be 
— How  to  save  them  from  the  same  remediless  ruin. 
The  plan  adopted  with  the  human  race,  whom  we 
assume  to  have  been  the  next  order  of  beings 
created,  will  be  considered  in  the  following  chapter. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MORAL  EVIL  IN  ITS  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN 
RACE. 

SEC.   i.      The  creation  of  man. 

The  Angels  have  fallen.  Made  pure  and  perfedl 
in  their  original  constitution  and  placed  in  the  best 
possible  circumstances  for  the  development  of  a  holy 
character,  they  have  yet  sinned  and  been  punished. 

To  all  appearance,  therefore,  a  hopeless  moral 
midnight  shuts  down  on  the  universe.  To  all 
appearance  free  moral  agents  cannot  be  kept  from 
rebellion;  and  no  other  prospect  or  possibility 
appears  but  that  the  universe  must  remain  an 
eternal  blank,  with  no  intelligent  beings  in  it  to 
love  and  honor  God,  and  in  which  no  note  of  praise 
and  thanksgiving  will  ever  ascend  to  him. 

But  the  Divine  resources  are  not  exhausted.  The 
devil  and  his  minions  have  indeed  revolted,  and 
their  case  is  hopeless,  and  yet  right  in  the  face  of 
this  disaster,  the  Almighty  enters  on  the  creation  of 
the  human  race,  who,  in  the  absence  of  all  opposing 
evidence,  are  assumed  to  be  the  second  order  of 
moral  beings. 

Two  things  respecting  this  next  race  of  moral 
beings  are  worthy  of  special  notice. 

First. — The  race  will  certainly  be  a  sinful  one ; 
for  the  best  experiment  that  could  be  made  with 

146 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.     147 

moral  beings  to  secure  their  allegiance  to  God,  has 
been  tried,  in  the  case  of  the  Fallen  Angels,  and  has 
failed.  This  experiment  demonstrated  that  any 
other  race  of  beings,  created  at  this  stage  of  the 
moral  universe,  would  also  sin ;  for  nothing  better 
could  be  done  for  them  than  was  done  for  the  Fallen 
Angels,  either  in  respect  to  original  constitution,  or 
external  circumstances  and  surroundings. 

Secondly. — The  sin  of  the  angels  was  committed 
in  such  circumstances  of  aggravation  as  apparently 
to  throw  them,  in  the  very  nature  of  their  mental 
and  moral  constitution,  beyond  the  possibility  of 
recovery.  If,  therefore,  the  human  race  should  be 
allowed  to  sin  as  the  Fallen  Angels  did,  and  in  the 
same  circumstances  of  aggravation,  then  to  all 
appearance  their  case  also  would  become  equally 
remediless.  The  same  hopeless  estrangement  from 
God  would  result,  the  same  hardness  and  despera- 
tion in  wickedness,  and  the  same  iron  despair  would 
fasten  on  them,  and  throw  them  also  beyond  all 
possibility  of  recovery. 

Obviously,  therefore,  the  only  question  was — 
How  shall  they  so  sin  as  to  be  saved  afterward? 
Their  sin  is  certain  and  unavoidable,  so  far  as  the 
Divine  prevention  is  concerned;  but  can  they  not, 
in  some  way,  be  kept  from  sinning  remedilessly  ? 
Cannot  the  circumstances  of  their  sinning  be  so 
modified  that  their  ultimate  recovery  shall  not  be 
entirely  hopeless  ? 

The  entire  case  is  this — The  experiment  with  the 
Fallen  Angels  demonstrated  the  fact  that  the  salva- 


148  THE   ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

tion  of  moral  beings  under  an  economy  of  mere  Law 
was  impossible.  Now  then  God  turns  to  another 
and  different  line  of  procedure.  He  creates  and 
plans  and  arranges  this  world  to  introduce  into  it  a 
higher  economy —  The  Salvation  of  Sinners  by  Grace 
— even  by  the  infinite  sacrifice  of  the  Lord  and 
Savior  Jesus  Christ. 

This  plan  of  Salvation  by  Grace  was  no  after- 
thought, introduced  merely  upon  the  event  of  human 
sinfulness ;  but  the  sinfulness  of  the  race  was  dis- 
tinctly foreseen,  and  the  Atonement  decided  upon, 
and  all  the  peculiar  circumstances  and  conditions  of 
the  race  devised  from  the  very  outset.  The  world 
itself  was  created  at  first,  and  its  pillars  set  up,  and 
its  physical  peculiarities  all  arranged  down  to  the 
minutest  particulars,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  it  was 
to  be  the  home  of  a  sinful  race,  in  which  the  grand 
work  of  Redemption  was  to  be  wrought  out.  The 
great  question,  therefore,  respecting  this  world,  was 
— How  so  to  arrange  the  peculiar  conditions  of  the 
race  to  be  created,  as  to  save  them  from  hopeless 
apostasy — how  so  to  modify  favorably  the  conditions 
of  human  sinfulness,  as  to  render  it  possible  for  them 
to  be  saved  after  they  had  sinned. 

These  peculiarities  are  mainly  as  follows  : — 

The  connection  of  the  soul  with  a  physical  body, 

Temptation  by  malignant  beings, 

The  parental  relation,  embracing  the  creation  and 
union  of  the  sexes,  and  the  institution  of  the  family, 

The  conditions  of  infancy, 

The  progressive  development  of  the  race, 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    149 

The  necessity  for  labor,  from  the  curse  of  unfruit- 
fulness  on  the  earth, 

Providential  dealings  with  men  generally  in  the 
way  of  pain,  suffering,  disappointment,  and  trials  of 
all  kinds,  as  well  as  blessings  and  mercies  innumer- 
able, 

Moral  government  everywhere — in  the  family, 
the  state,  and  the  nation, 

The  Bible,  and  means  of  grace  generally, 

The  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 

Temporal  Death. 

The  point  we  have  now  to  consider  is,  that  by  all 
these  conditions  and  surroundings  of  the  human 
race,'  God  is  seeking  so  to  modify  favorably  the 
experience  of  human  probation,  and  the  circum- 
stances of  human  sinfulness,  as  to  render  efficacious 
a  scheme  of  mercy  and  salvation. 

In  their  particular  design  they  are  intended, 
either  to  repress  the  innate  tendency  to  self-will, 
which,  as  has  been  shown,  is  the  prime  occasion  of 
sin  in  all  moral  beings  ;  or  to  lessen  the  burden  of 
criminality  for  sin  committed  ;  or  to  soften  in  the 
human  soul  the  consciousness  of  guilt,  and  so  make 
penitence  a  more  hopeful  matter  ;  or  to  multiply 
motives  to  obedience  and  submission  to  God  ;  or  to 
increase  the  number  and  efficacy  of  the  warnings 
against  transgression.  In  these  ways  especially, 
and  in  others  less  obvious,  and  yet  not  without  their 
influence,  God  is  aiming  to  bring  every  human 
being  into  a  hopeful  situation,  so  that,  if  possible, 
he  may  be  induced  to  abandon  his  sinfulness,  and 


150  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

come  to  God  by  repentance  ;  and  thus  the  plan  of 
redemption  through  Jesus  Christ  become  efficacious 
for  his  final  and  eternal  restoration  to  the  favor  of 
God.  In  other  words,  they  are  intended  to  prepare 
the  way  for  the  successful  working  of  the  plan  of 
salvation,  and  to  render  it  efficacious  for  human 
recovery.  They  are,  therefore,  every  one  of  them, 
devised  and  executed  solely  in  the  interest  of  holi- 
ness and  salvation,  and  never,  even  by  the  remotest 
implication,  in  the  interest  of  sin,  or  for  its  perpetu- 
ation.* 

SEC.  2.     Connexion  with  a  Physical  Body. 

In  the  constitution  and  position  of  the  human 
race,  there  is  everywhere  a  manifest  effort  at  con- 
finement, restriction,  limitation,  restraint.  For 
example,  the  mighty  soul  itself,  with  force  enough 
to  energize  a  world,  is  yet  cramped  in  a  diminutive 
human  body.  It  is  then  tied  to  the  surface  of  the 
earth  by  the  law  of  gravitation,  and  moves  from 
place  to  place  only  by  a  slow  and  tedious  locomo- 
tion, when  it  might  have  had  the  speed  of  the  winds 
or  of  lightning.  Also  it  must  come  in  contact  with 


*  In  connection  with  the  general  view  now  presented  it  seems  proper 
to  remark  that  the  expression  of  DR.  BUSHNELL  in  his  "Nature  and  the 
Supernatural " — "The  Anticipative  Consequences  of  Sin, "  appears  to  be 
a  very  felicitous  one,  but  that  a  wider  range  may  properly  be  given  to 
it,  namely — that  all  the  arrangements  of  this  world  from  the  begin- 
ning— every  particle  of  matter  that  entered  into  its  original  structure; 
every  change  in  it  afterwards;  every  particular  adaptation;  in  short, 
every  thing  in  the  condition  of  things  as  they  were  when  man  was  first 
placed  upon  it,  •were  all  arranged,  and  designed,  and  set  in  operation, 
with  special  reference  to  the  fadl  that  the  race  that  was  to  inhabit  it 
would  be  a  sinful  one.  Indeed  this  view  seems  necessitated  by  the  very 
fact  of  God's  omniscience. 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.     151 

the  external  world  only  through  the  medium  of  the 
Jive  senses,  when,  to  all  appearance,  it  might  as 
well  have  had  a  thousand.  Now  why  is  this? 
The  following  is  suggested. 

The  occasion  of  sin  being  inherent  in  the  very 
nature  of  a  moral  being,  and  liable  to  improper  in- 
dulgence, God  has  compelled  the  soul  to  commence 
its  action  in  and  through  the  body  with  its  restraints 
and  crosses,  in  order  to  curb  its  imperiousness. 

The  idea  of  some  that  sin  originates  in  the  body, 
and  that  the  connection  of  the  soul  with  it  is  to  be 
regarded  as  a  calamity,  apart  from  impugning  the 
benevolence  of  God,  is  inconsistent  with  facts.  For 
the  inclination  to  have  my  own  way  without  restraint 
is  not  in  the  body.  The  body  is  merely  the  instru- 
ment through  which  the  inclination  is  gratified — 
through  which  it  a£ls  out  itself;  or  rather  the  body, 
limiting  and  confining  the  soul  within  itself,  deter- 
mines the  manner  in  which  this  inclination  shall 
work  itself  out,  and  find  satisfaction. 

Undoubtedly,  without  a  body,  the  inclination  to 
wilful  indulgence  would  be  the  same  as  now,  and 
show  itself  in  some  form,  even  as  it  is  now  in  the 
Devil  and  his  angels.  Indeed,  some  of  the  vilest  of 
human  passions,  like  avarice  and  ambition,  envy, 
hatred,  covetousness  and  revenge,  seem  not  to  be  at 
all  dependent  on  the  body.  Even  inebriety  and 
licentiousness  are  only  the  natural  inclination  to 
self-will  and  self-indulgence,  working  out  itself 
through  the  body  in  these  particular  forms. 

Our  view  is  therefore,  that  God  puts  that  soul 


152  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

that,  in  any  case,  is  sure  to  become  wilful  and 
wicked,  into  its  physical  habitation,  that  its  imperi- 
ousness  may  be  curbed.  Such  is  his  design  ;  and  if 
in  any  case,  the  arrangement  fails  to  secure  this, 
and  the  man  only  wallows  in  sensual  habit,  the 
slave  of  appetite,  the  fact  is  he  is  a  slave  only  to 
internal,  spiritual  rebellion  against  his  Maker.  It 
is  sinful  self-will,  rather  than  that  physical  habit, 
that  masters  him. 

The  real  trouble  with  the  "carnal  mind," — the 
mind  seeking  its  gratification  in  and  through  the 
flesh — is,  that  it  is  "  enmity  against  God,  and  is  not 
subject  to  his  law,"  (Rom.  viii :  7),  and  if  in  any 
single  instance,  it  will  but  submit  itself  heartily  to 
Him,  the  habit  of  self-indulgence,  in  any  form,  will 
be  soon  overcome. 

Thus  the  body  is  regarded,  not  as  the  origin  of 
want,  desire,  and  impulse,  but  rather  the  instrument 
of  their  gratification — the  medium  through  which 
the  confined  and  restless  agent  within  is  ever  acting 
out  himself,  and  seeking  satisfaction;  and  through 
which  he  is  compelled  to  seek  it,  that  he  may,  in  the 
process,  be  crossed  and  repressed,  disciplined  and 
subdued,  and  thus  be  made  to  learn,  if  possible,  the 
great  lesson  of  submission  to  God. 

That  the  physical  conditions  of  men  have  all  been 
arranged  in  the  interest  of  holiness,  is  very  evident 
from  that  remarkable  passage,  Rom.  viii :  20,  21 — 
"  For  the  creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity  not 
willingly,  but  by  reason  of  Him  who  hath  subjected 
the  same  in  hope.  Because  the  creature  itself  also 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    153 

shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption 
into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God." 
An  extended  and  masterly  exegesis  of  this  passage 
will  be  found  in  the  Quarterly  Christian  Spectator  ^ 
Vol.  X,  p.  105.  The  view  there  presented  of  the 
passage  is  as  follows — "For  the  creature" — the 
human  race  "was  made  subject  to  vanity" — to  a 
state  of  frailty,  corruption  and  physical  imperfection, 
the  necessary  consequence  of  a  fleshly  constitution, 
— "not  willingly", — not  of  choice,  but  contrary  to 
all  its  native  tendencies  and  sensibilities,  "by  reason 
of" — or  through  the  will  and  direct  arrangement  of 
the  Creator,  ' '  who  hath  subjected  the  same  in  hope ' ' 
— in  the  benevolent  design  and  expectation — "  that 
[a  better  translation  than  ' '  because ' ']  the  creature ' ' 
— the  human  race,  would,  by  passing  through  this 
state,  ' '  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corrup- 
tion," and  established  forever  in  the  free  and  glori- 
ous service  of  God. ' '  In  which  the  general  truth  is 
clearly  stated  that  the  present  state  of  being,  in  its 
physical  aspects  and  relations,  was  designed  of  God 
as  the  means  of  reclaiming  rebel  souls,  and  confirm- 
ing them  in  holiness,  and  that  this  was  the  great 
object  intended  to  be  accomplished  by  the  subjection 
of  man  to  his  present  condition  of  "  vanity." 

How  is  this  done  ?    Answer: — 

i.  The  gratification  of  irregular  desires  through 
the  body  is  followed  by  inconvenience,  pain,  suffering 
and  woe,  so  that  the  fearful  nature  of  self-indulgence 
and  sin,  may  come  to  be  felt  and  appreciated  by  the 
sinning  one. 


154  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

2.  The  physical  pains,  suffering  and  calamities  of 
the  race  which  have  come  down  in  history — the 
record  of  this  world  as  a  slaughter  pen  and  a  charnel 
house — a  world  of  groans,  anguish,  tears  and  blood, 
all  conspire  to  teach,   through  these  physical  out- 
workings  which  can  be  seen  and  appreciated,  the 
dreadfulness  of  sin  ;  and  men  do  thus  receive  a  mul- 
titude of  warnings  against  committing  it. 

3.  Furthermore,  as  all  the  mental  and  physical 
peculiarities  which  men  have  at  birth — all  their 
truly  natural  inclinations  and  dispositions  are  God's 
work,  it  follows  that  the  peculiar  way  in  which  each 
one  finds  his  inclination  to  independence  and  self- 
will  adling  itself  out,  is  the  exadl  point  at  which 
God  intends  he  shall  learn  his  life-lesson  of  self- 
denial  and  submission  to  himself. 

Hence  his  heart's  idols  will  ever  lie  in  the  line  of 
his  inclinations,  and  his  crosses  and  trials  consist  in 
the  necessity  of  relinquishing  them ;  and  so  God's 
discipline,  as  well  as  his  own  heart-struggles,  will 
ever  center  about  the  sinful  way  to  which  he  finds 
himself  especially  inclined — "the  sin  that  does  so 
easily  beset  him. "  (Heb.  xii :  i.)  Here  is  where 
his  natural  independence  and  inclination  to  have  his 
own  way  come,  as  it  were,  to  the  surface,  where 
they  can  be  reached  ;  and  here,  therefore,  he  will 
find  his  main  life-work  of  self-conquest — the  field  on 
which  the  subjugation  of  that  self-will  is  to  go  on 
and  be  consummated,  if  he  is  ever  to  become  a  child 
of  God  and  an  heir  of  heaven. 

For  example,  if  one  finds  himself  especially  in- 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    155 

clined  to  worldliness — to  money-loving  and  money- 
getting,  then  can  he,  in  the  best  manner,  find  his 
way  to  submission  and  sanetification,  to  holiness 
and  God,  by  subduing  this  inclination.  If  to  pleas- 
ure seeking,  then  the  lesson  of  submission  is  to  be 
best  learned  by  subduing  this  inclination.  If  the 
race  of  ambition  be  the  most  tempting,  then  this 
will  be  the  best  field  of  conflict.  If  a  violent  temper 
seeks  to  master  him,  then  here  will  be  his  struggle. 
If  some  sensual  indulgence  calls  for  gratification, 
then  submission  to  God  is  to  be  most  directly 
reached  by  ' '  denying  this  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lust. ' '  And  every  one  should  feel  that  the  peculiar 
occasion  of  his  life  conflict — "the  sin  that  does  most 
easily  beset  him  ' '  —  the  particular  self-denial  to 
which  he  is  called,  is  the  one  through  which  he  is 
to  find  his  way  to  God  if  he  ever  does  find  it ;  and 
that  he  can  learn  his  life-lesson,  and  secure  his  final 
salvation  in  no  better  way  than  by  resistance  to 
this. 

Moreover,  under  the  pressure  of  this  internal 
conflict,  he  should  not  grieve  on  account  of  its 
severity,  and  lament  his  hard  lot,  and  sigh  for  deliv- 
erance, as  though,  if  this  burden  were  only  lifted  he 
would  be  at  peace  ;  for  then  some  other  trial  equally 
disagreeable  and  equally  hard  to  be  borne,  would 
become  indispensable  still  to  his  moral  training  ; 
and  it  is  his  privilege  to  believe  that  God  has 
arranged  his  life-trial  for  him  in  the  best  manner  to 
save  him,  and  incorporated  into  it  no  unnecessary 
element  of  bitterness.  Hence  no  alternative  is  left 


156  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

for  him  but  patient  self-conquest  in  God's  appointed 
way,  "working  out  his  own  salvation"  even  as 
' '  God  works  in  him  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure."  (Phil,  ii :  13.) 

Man,  therefore,  was  made  subject  to  his  physical 
surroundings,  and  to  all  the  circumstances  neces- 
sarily accompanying  his  earthly  condition,  not  that 
he  should  yield  to  his  inclinations,  but  resist  them, 
and  by  resisting  them,  conquer  self-will,  and  thus 
learn  the  great  lesson  of  self-renunciation,  and  reach 
at  length  that  loftiest  pinnacle  of  spiritual  elevation, 
which  says  ever,  ' '  Not  my  will  but  thine  be  done. ' ' 

In  this  view,  the  connection  of  the  soul  with  the 
body  is  made  to  work  against  sin,  and  is  intended 
solely  for  its  correction  and  removal,  and  not  for  its 
encouragement  and  aggravation.  And  indeed  all 
the  physical  surroundings  of  the  human  soul,  so  far 
as  they  result  from  the  Divine  arrangement,  unmod- 
ified by  the  wicked  perversion  of  them  by  the  man 
himself,  are  seen  to  work  ever  and  only  in  the 
direction  of  salvation. 

SEC.  3.      Temptation  by  Malignant  Beings. 

As  the  fact  of  temptation  by  malignant  beings  is 
clearly  revealed  in  the  Bible,  the  view  is  not  unfre- 
quently  entertained  that  human  sinfulness  is  due 
primarily  to  this  temptation,  instead  of  being  merely 
modified  by  it ;  and  the  permission  of  it  becomes, 
therefore,  in  some  minds,  an  objection  to  the  justice 
of  endless  punishment — God  permitting  men  to  be 
tempted to  sin,  and  then  punishing  them  for  following 
the  temptation.  How  is  this  objection  to  be  met  ? 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    157 

i.    A  PERSONAL  DEVIL. 

"  The  doctrine  of  a  Personal  Devil  is  absurd," 
says  one.  But  why  any  more  absurd  that  a  moral 
being  should  have  sinned  against  God  in  past  ages, 
than  that  such  beings  should  now  sin  against  him, 
here  in  this  world  ? 

But  the  devil  is  powerful  as  well  as  malignant, 
and  has  uncontrolled  sway  over  men  ;  and  the 
weakness  of  human  nature  is  unequally  matched 
against  the  cunning,  daring  and  desperation  of  such 
an  antagonist. 

This  contradicts  the  whole  tenor  of  the  Scriptures. 
They  represent  him  as  being  completely  under  the 
Divine  control.  In  the  recorded  interview  between 
Satan  and  the  Almighty  in  the  book  of  Job,  Satan 
appears  limited  at  every  point  by  the  Divine  permis- 
sion. Satan  charges  Job  with  hypocrisy,  and 
desires  to  try  him  in  order  to  prove  it.  God  says 
first,  "  take  all  that  he  hath,"  but  touch  not  him; 
and  Satan  must  obey.  At  the  second  interview  the 
Divine  permission  is,  that  Satan  may  do  well-nigh 
his  worst — ' '  Behold  he  is  in  thine  hand,  but  save 
his  life;  ' '  and  Satan  could  not  go  beyond  this.  The 
entire  record  demonstrates  that  devilish  malignity 
is  ever  held  firmly  in  check  by  the  Almighty. 
Even  the  devils  could  not  destroy  a  herd  of  swine 
without  the  permission  of  the  Savior. 

2.    TEMPTATION  IN  EDEN. 
Why  was  this  permitted  ? 
The  belief  is  quite  general  that  had  it  not  been 


158  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

for  the  temptation  of  the  devil,  our  first  parents 
would  not  have  sinned ;  and  that  this  would  have 
prevented  the  sinfulness  of  the  race.  With  such  a 
view,  the  vindication  of  the  Divine  benevolence  in 
permitting  the  temptation  becomes  logically  impos- 
sible. For  to  hold  that  men  would  not  have  sinned 
without  the  temptation  of  the  devil,  and  then  that 
God  permitted  the  temptation,  is  to  put  the  respon- 
sibility for  human  sinfulness  directly  back  on  to  the 
Almighty.  But  such  a  belief  has  no  defensible 
foundation.  Had  God  foreknown  that  Adam,  left 
to  himself,  would  never t  have  sinned,  then  the  trial 
in  Eden  would  have  been  unnecessary,  and  would 
not  have  been  instituted.  But  it  was  instituted, 
proving  that  Adam  would  have  sinned  any  way — 
sinned  too  without  the  temptation  of  the  devil — 
sinned  in  fact  as  the  devil  did,  and  for  the  same 
reason — dislike  of  control,  especially  of  the  restraints 
of  Law  and  Government.  Very  likely,  too,  our  first 
parents,  left  to  themselves,  would  ere  long  have 
come  into  conflict  with  each  other,  over  some  object 
desired  by  both.  The  question,  therefore,  returns 
— Why  was  the  temptation  of  our  first  parents  per- 
mitted, and  how  was  it  a  benevolent  arrangement  ? 
Very  probably  it  was  meant 

i.  To  dimmish  the  deliberation,  wilfulness,  and 
consequent  enormity  of  their  sin.  For  if  they  would 
otherwise  have  sinned  as  the  Angels  did,  and  with 
an  equal  degree  of  wilfulness  and  aggravation,  then 
they  might  have  been  thrown,  like  them,  beyond 
the  possibility  of  recovery.  It  is  not,  therefore,  at 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    159 

all  improbable  that  God  permitted  the  rebel  Fiend 
to  adl  out  his  malignity  and  press  the  temptation, 
that  he  might  thus  dimmish  the  turpitude  of  Adam's 
transgression,  by  letting  the  Devil  divide  with  him, 
as  it  were,  the  burden  of  its  criminality,  and  thus 
lessen  correspondingly  the  burden  of  conscious  guilt, 
and  prepare  the  way  for  his  repentance  and  pardon. 

At  all  events,  this  appears,  from  the  Bible  narra- 
tive, to  have  been  the  attual  result.  When  God 
charged  Adam  with  his  sin,  he  evidently  felt,  in 
giving  his  answer,  that  the  blame  was  not  entirely 
his  own.  He  does  not  plead  innocence,  but  throws 
back  the  blame  in  part  upon  the  woman,  and  she,  in 
like  manner,  upon  the  serpent ;  and  it  should  be 
especially  noticed  that  God  pronounces  the  sentence 
accordingly.  He  pronounces  no  curse  upon  Adam 
and  Eve,  and  only  reveals  to  them  the  sad  conse- 
quences of  their  sin ;  but  he  pronounces  a  heavy 
curse  upon  the  Devil  as  being  the  prime  instigator 
of  the  rebellion.  To  sin  as  Adam  did,  from  the 
solicitations  of  a  beloved  companion,  involved  less 
of  criminality  than  to  sin  as  Eve  did,  from  the  temp- 
tation of  the  Devil ;  and  to  sin  as  she  did,  was  less 
criminal  than  to  sin  as  the  Devil  did  ;  and  therefore 
to  secure  this  alleviation  of  crime,  was  doubtless  one 
design  of  the  temptation. 

2.  Another  probable  design  closely  connected 
with  the  foregoing  was,  to  make  Repentance  pos- 
sible. 

The  most  aggravated  forms  of  sin,  as  we  have 
seen,  appear  to  throw  the  one  committing  them 


160  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

beyond  the  possibility  of  repentance  and  reformation. 
To  prevent  Adam,  therefore,  from  sinning  in  this 
aggravated  form,  the  occasion  of  his  sin  was  shifted 
from  his  natural  love  of  independence,  over  on  to 
this  temptation  of  the  Devil ;  it  being  better  for  him 
to  sin  in  this  way  than  in  the  way  he  otherwise 
would  have  done.  Had  our  first  paren's  been 
allowed  to  sin  as  the  angels  did,  no  reason  appears 
why  their  sin  would  not  have  been  followed  by  a 
like  result,  and  the  burden  of  conscious  guilt  have 
been  such  that  they  too  would  have  been  thrown  by 
it  beyond  the  possibility  of  repentance.  But  to  per- 
mit the  Devil  to  act  out  his  wickedness  in  tempting 
them,  as  he  desired  to,  would,  very  likely,  so  miti- 
gate their  sin,  so  qualify  its  deliberation,  and  so 
lessen  remorse  for  it,  that  they  could  be  brought 
hopefully  within  the  reach  of  recovering  grace.  In 
this  view,  the  temptation  in  Eden  was  indispensable 
to  a  successful  plan  of  salvation  ;  and  we  reach  the 
conclusive  vindication  of  its  benevolence  in  the  fol- 
lowing statement —  Temptation  is  possibly  necessary  to 
the  efficacy  of  Redemption. 

3.    BENEVOLENCE  OP  TEMPTATION  GENERALLY. 

We  notice  in  the  next  place  that  temptation  by 
malignant  beings  may  now  be  permitted  only  for  the 
purpose  of  modifying  favorably  the  conditions  of 
human  sinfulness. 

i .  It  should  be  kept  in  mind  that  sin  is  not  due 
primarily  to  such  temptation ;  for,  in  the  view  we 
are  taking,  mankind  would  sin  any  way  ;  and  with- 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    l6l 

out  this  temptation  by  malignant  beings,  would  sin 
as  the  Devil  did  in  the  beginning — from  the  mere 
impulse  of  the  original  constitution — the  love  of 
independent  action  ;  and,  therefore,  that  this  temp- 
tation is  not  the  origin  of  human  siufulness. 

2.  Nor  have  we  any  reason  for  supposing  that 
Satan  is  ever  permitted  so  to  tempt  men  that  they 
have  not  abundant  ability  to  resist  him  ;  nor  that 
any  temptation,   if  resisted,    would  not   give    the 
enduring  spirit  the  noblest  impulse   heavenward. 
Says  the  apostle  James,   ' '  Blessed  is  the  man  that 
endureth  temptation."     (James  i :  12.) 

3.  This  temptation  undoubtedly  diminishes  the 
turpitude  of  crime.     Granting  that  it  never  wholly 
excuses  it,  yet  the  fact  that  the  question  whether  it 
does  thus  diminish  it  or  not  is  so  often  debated, 
shows  that  men  have  a  conviction  that  sin  is  favor- 
ably modified  by  very  severe  temptation. 

For  example — When  a  young  man  is  led  into 
wrong  doing  by  wicked  companions  older  and  more 
experienced  than  himself,  men  pity  him.  They 
never  wholly  excuse  him,  but  have  towards  him  a 
feeling  of  compassion  as  well  as  of  condemnation  ; 
and  make  his  wicked  associates,  who  led  him  into 
sin,  divide  with  him  the  burden  of  its  criminality. 
They  feel  that  in  some  degree  he  is  excusable.  And 
their  decision  is  right.  So  reason  the  judge  and  the 
jury  when  he  is  brought  to  trial,  and  recommend 
him  to  mercy  as  they  do  not  his  older  and  more 
hardened  tempters. 

Also  the  young  man  himself,   in  reviewing  his 


162  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

conduct,  has  his  remorse  softened  by  this  particular 
aspect  of  the  case — the  peculiarity,  unexpectedness 
and  severity  of  the  accompanying  temptation. 
Hence,  penitence  is  more  readily  awakened  within 
him.  He  is  not  the  hardened  criminal  whom  no 
appeals  can  reach,  but  the  hopeful  one  whom  warn- 
ing and  encouragement  may  lead  back  to  the  paths 
of  rectitude. 

Now  apply  these  general  principles  to  the  tempta- 
tion of  men  by  malignant  spirits.  For  aught  that 
can  be  said  to  the  contrary,  the  Devil  and  his 
minions  may  be  allowed  still  to  work  out  their 
malignity  in  tempting  men  for  the  same  reason  that 
the  Devil  was  allowed  in  Eden — to  diminish  the 
turpitude  of  human  sinfulness,  to  soften  in  the 
human  mind  the  conviction  of  criminality,  and  to 
make  penitence  a  more  hopeful  matter  ;  so  that,  on 
the  whole,  temptation  is  permitted,  in  the  case  of 
each  individual,  only  in  that  way  and  to  that  extent, 
which  will  best  work  to  save  him. 

4.  In  case  the  temptation  is  unresisted,  we  have 
no  reason  for  supposing  it  any  worse  for  the  man 
than  if  he  had  sinned  from  the  mere  impulse  of  his 
original  constitution.     Even  in  case  he  follows  the 
suggestion  of  the  Adversary,  and  goes  down  with 
him  to  perdition,  it  may  still  be  true  that  the  very 
fact  of  his  temptation  will  mitigate  the  torment  of 
his  unending  remorse. 

5.  In  the  case  of  the  Christian,  the  temptation 
may  need  to  be  continued  after  conversion,  in  order 
to  build  up,  by  persistent  and  long-continued  resis- 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    163 

tance  to  it,  a  character  of  sufficient  solidity  and  per- 
manence to  become  in  the  highest  degree  efficient  in 
God's  service.  Nor  is  temptation  permitted  beyond 
what  is  necessary  to  this  ;  so  that  for  a  man  to  find 
fault  with  his  own  peculiar  temptations,  is  to  com- 
plain of  that  which  is  indispensable  to  his  highest 
good. 

6.  Another  probable  reason  why  the  fact  of  temp- 
tation by  malignant  beings  has  been  revealed,  is  to 
secure  the  requisite  degree  of  watchfulness  and  care- 
fulness.    Were  a  man  traveling  alone  through  the 
wilderness,  knowing  that  the  wily  savage  was  on 
his  track,  what  watchfulness,  carefulness,  and  pre- 
cautions of  all  kinds  would  the  knowledge  of  the 
fadl  engender  ?     He  would  eat,  drink,  and  sleep  in 
fear  ;  and  would  literally  work  out  his  temporal  sal- 
vation "  with  fear  and  trembling,"  just  as  men  are 
now  exhorted  to  work  out  their  spiritual  salvation ; 
for  it  is  only  by  this  constant  watchfulness  that  the 
wicked  heart  can  be  kept  from  yielding  to  tempta- 
tion ;   and  the  knowledge  that  the  Adversary  of 
souls  ' '  goeth  about  as  a  roaring  lion  ' '  to  devour 
him,  and  has  his  malignant  eye  glaring  ever  upon 
him,  desiring  to  "have  him,"   can  but  result  in 
stirring  him  up  to  increased  activity  and  watchful- 
ness.    And,    therefore,    the  Apostle   exhorts    us : 
' '  Put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God  that  ye  may  be 
able  to  stand  against    the  wiles  of   the    Devil." 
(Eph.  vi  :  xi.) 

7.  The  knowledge  of  this  fact  will  also  greatly 
stimulate  to  prayer  for  the  help  of  the  Almighty  in 


164  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

this  extremity,  and  the  heart  will  naturally  find  ex- 
pression in  the  petition  provided  for  such  an  occa- 
sion— ' '  Lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us 
from  the  Evil  One."  (Rev.  ver.)  And  the  soul, 
flying  thus  continually  to  God  as  the  only  refuge 
from  the  assault,  will  reach  at  length  this  last, 
grandest,  and  most  precious  experience  of  the 
Christian — that  he  shall  seek  his  safety  and  blessed- 
ness in  constant  and  intimate  companionship  with 
him. 

Let  no  one,  therefore,  reproach  the  benignant 
providence  under  which  man  is  assailed  by  tempta- 
tion. Let  him  remember  that,  however  much  he 
may  have  deprecated  its  existence,  still  the  permis- 
sion of  it  is  the  dictate  only  of  benevolence — saving 
him,  as  very  likely  it  does,  from  a  sin  that  would 
otherwise  bind  him  to  hopeless  retribution,  and  pre- 
paring the  way  for  his  acceptance  of  the  terms  of 
mercy  and  salvation. 

SEC.  4.      The  Conditions  of  Infancy, 

The  character  of  the  infant  at  birth  is  neither 
sinful  nor  holy — not  sinful  because  he  has  trans- 
gressed no  law  ;  and  not  holy  because  he  has  obeyed 
none  ;  he  is  simply  innocent* 

*Some  understand  the  declaration  in  Rom.  v:i2  "all  have  sinned,', 
to  include  infants.  They  also  reason  thus — As  infants  die,  and  death  is 
the  "wages  of  sin,"  therefore  this  is  proof  positive  that  infants  are 
sinful. 

Others,  with  better  reason,  think  that  the  word  "  all "  is  used  here  in 
the  loose  and  popular  sense  in  which  it  is  often  used  in  the  Scriptures, 
e.  g.,  "  all  the  city  was  gathered  together  at  the  door,"  (Mark  i :  33),  not 
meaning  to  include  infants  or  sick  persons. 

As  to  the  reason  why  infants  die,  some  think,  and  with  apparent 
plausibility,  that  the  explanation  is  found  in  i  Cor.  xv :  22,  "as  in  Adam 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    165 

And  yet  in  every  child,  as  we  have  seen,  there  is 
a  constitutional  unwillingness  to  submit  to  the 
proper  and  necessary  restraints  of  law  and  govern- 
ment. Not  at  all  as  a  defect,  but  growing  out  of 
the  very  nature  of  free  agency,  and  as  inseparable 
from  the  soul  as  freedom  itself. 

Now  we  are  to  notice  that  the  conditions  of  infancy 
appear  to  be  especially  ordered  so  as  to  confine, 
restrain,  and  keep  down  this  innate  tendency  to 
independent  action.  Notice, 

i.  That  the  infant  mind  is  started  at  zero — at 
nothing — and  progresses  by  a  gradual  development. 
The  result  is  that  he  cannot  have  his  own  way.  He 
has  numberless  bodily  wants  that  he  cannot  express, 
and  which  must  remain  unsatisfied.  Moreover, 
through  all  the  forming  period  of  childhood  he  must 
submit  to  the  control  of  others.  He  must  be  re- 
strained in  a  thousand  ways  and  ten  thousand  times 
before  he  reaches  the  period  of  accountability,  in 
order  to  keep  him  from  self-destruction.  Indeed, 
the  entire  period  of  infancy  and  childhood  is  one 
continued  experience  of  crossing,  trial,  and  subjuga- 
tion, kept  up  almost  without  intermission  during  his 
waking  hours.  Now,  why  all  this  training  previous 
to  accountability  ?  The  answer  is  that  all  this  pro- 
cess of  restraint  and  curbing  is  precisely  analogous 
to  the  restraint  of  God's  law,  when,  farther  on  in 
life  and  at  the  age  of  accountability,  that  law  meets 

all  die; "  that  is,  that  God  determined  that  if  Adam  sinned,  he  should 
beget  only  mortal  descendants;  so  that  their  death  is  due  to  their  con- 
nection with  mortal  Adam,  and  not  to  their  being  sinful;  which  ap- 
pears to  be  the  more  reasonable  view. 


l66  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

him,  and  is  doubtless  designed  to  prepare  the  way 
for  his  submission  to  its  commands. 

2.  From  the  gradual  unfolding  of  the  infantile 
powers,  he  becomes  a  sinner  with  the  least  possible 
degree  of  deliberation  ;  therefore,  with  the  least  pos- 
sible violation   of  conscience,    and  with  the  least 
possible  blunting  of  the  sensibilities  ;  and,  therefore, 
with  fewer  obstacles  to  be  overcome  in  the  work  of 
recovery. 

3.  Also,  man  never  remembers  the  time  when  he 
became  a  sinner — when  he  first  arrayed   himself 
against  the  Almighty.     The  Fallen  Angel  has  that 
dreadful  time  ever  in  remembrance,  and  its  appalling 
wickedness  is  doubtless  one  element  in  his  hopeless 
despair.     Adam  also  had  such  a  time  to  remember^ 
and  it  might  have  driven  him  to  a  like  despair,  had 
not  his  temptation   softened  within  him  the  con- 
sciousness of  guilt.     But  all  men  are  now  spared 
this  ;  for  the  time  when  sin  was  first  entered  on  is 
lost  amid  the  confusion  of  early  and  feeble  impres- 
sions ;  and  thus  one  great  obstacle  to  repentance  is 
prevented. 

4.  Moreover,  his  first  sinful  adls  are  in  disobedi- 
ence to  parental  authority  only,  and  not  God's  ;  and 
this  softens  in  the  mind  the  conviction  of  criminality, 
and  makes  penitence  more  hopeful. 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  men  in  this  world  become 
sinners  in  the  most  favorable  circumstances  for 
recovery  ;  and  so  the  entire  conditions  of  infancy 
work  only  in  the  direction  of  salvation. 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    167 
EATII   IN   INFANCY. 

How  about  those  who  die  in  infancy  ?  Will  the 
occasion  of  sin  in  them  develop  itself  elsewhere  ?  If 
not  actually  sinful  at  death,  how  can  they  be  saved 
through  the  atonement  ?  And  if  not  saved  through 
Christ,  how  can  they  learn  the  ' '  new  song  ?  ' ' 
Answer : 

The  probability  is  that  the  dying  infant  is  com- 
mitted at  once  to  the  care  and  guardianship  of  the 
angels — "their  angels,"  (Matt,  xviii :  10),  and  by 
them  instructed  in  all  that  they  themselves  have 
learned  of  the  wonders  and  glories  of  redemption, 
and  is  brought  under  the  influence  of  all  those 
motives  which  have  been  necessary  to  confirm  them- 
selves in  obedience  to  God,  and  that  in  this  way  it 
becomes  established  in  holy  living  like  any  other 
newly -created  being  in  the  future  ages  of  the  uni- 
verse. 

The  work  of  redemption,  in  such  a  case,  would 
avail  to  keep  the  infant  from  sinning,  instead  of,  as 
in  this  world ,  delivering  the  soul  from  the  power  of 
attual  sin ;  but  in  each  case  the  glory  of  his  final 
salvation  will  be  due  to  the  great  Savior,  and  the 
praises  of  redeeming  love  be  chanted  alike  by  all. 

This,  however,  is  mere  conjecture.  What  we 
certainly  know  is  that  the  infant  belongs  to  a 
redeemed  race;  that  Christ  tasted  death  for  him  as 
for  every  descendant  of  Adam,  for  "he  tasted  death 
for  every  man."  We  are  to  think,  therefore,  of  all 
who  die  in  infancy,  as  constituting,  together  with 
all  the  redeemed  from  among  men,  one  mighty  host 


l68  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

whose  robes  have,  in  some  way,  "  been  washed  and 
made  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ' ' ;  and  that 
every  such  one  will  be  welcomed  in  his  guilelessness 
and  innocence  to  the  bosom  of  the  Savior,  and  in  some 
way,  perhaps  mysterious  to  us,  be  so  comprehended 
in  the  great  plan  of  Salvation,  as  to  stand  on  equal 
footing  with  the  entire  company  of  the  redeemed, 
and  not  a  note  be  wanting  as  he  takes  up  with  them 
the  "song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb." 

SBC.  5.    The  Parental  Relation. 

The  main  design  here  will  be  to  show  that  the 
parental  relation  is  designed  and  adapted  to  repress 
sin  instead  of  perpetuating  it. 

1 .  We  need  not  trace  human  sinfulness  primarily 
to  the  parental  relation,  as  is  commonly  done;  for 
the  devil  and  Adam  both  sinned  without  any  such 
connection;  and  because  the  occasion  of  sin,  as  we 
have  seen,  is  found  in  the  necessary  nature  of  free 
agency. 

2.  Nor  have  we  reason  for  belie\ing  that  the 
occasion  of  sin  has  been  aggravated  by  the  parental 
connection.     It  has  evidently  been  modified  by  it,  so 
that  the  sin  of  the  child  is  apt  to  take  the  same  form 
as  that  of  the  parent;  but  it  would  have  taken  some 
form  without  this  parental  connection — perhaps  a 
worse  one,  as  it  has  in  the  Devil.     So  that  there  is 
no  evidence,  either  from  reason  or  the  Scriptures, 
that  God  has  instituted  the  parental  relation  to  per- 
petuate sin,  or  thrown,  by  means  of  it,  any  obstacles 
in  the  way  of  holiness.     Indeed,  whatever  be  the 
connection  between  Adam  and  his  posterity,  inas- 


MORAL  EVIL:   RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    169 

much  as  God  is  the  author  of  it,  it  must  have  been 
designed  to  modify  favorably  the  conditions  of 
human  existence. 

3.  We  notice  that    the  parental  connection    is 
apparently  designed  at  every  point  to  repress  sin. 
For  example,  the  parent  is.  compelled,  at  the  very 
outset,  to  curb  the  self-will  of  his  child  in  order  to 
derive  any  pleasure  from  his  companionship.     He 
must  either  subdue  him  or  else  abandon  him  to  his 
own  constitutional  impulses,  with  the  well-nigh  cer- 
tain result  of  his  becoming  in  the  end  too  trouble- 
some to  be  endured  in  the  family.     Therefore,  as  the 
infant  cannot  control  himself  for  the  want  of  reason 
and  judgment,  God   has  put  the  responsibility  of 
control  upon  the  parent,  and  made  it  his  first  dutj-, 
both  for  the  good  of  the  child  and  for  his  own  happi- 
ness,   to  teach  him  obedience  and  submission  to 
himself. 

But  notice,  in  so  doing  the  parent  represses  the 
tendency  to  sin,  and  weakens  its  power  over  the  child, 
and  works  thus,  at  the  very  outset,  against  this  most 
terrific  obstacle  in  the  way  of  his  salvation. 

4.  The  entire  machinery  of  domestic  life — its  ten- 
derness and  love — is  designed  to  educate  the  child 
to  affection.     The  mutual  dependence  and  helpful- 
ness of  the  family  tend  in  the  most  striking  manner, 
to  educate  him  both  to  see  and  feel  the  nature,  the 
duty,  and  the  happiness  of  loving,  and  thus  to  under- 
stand the  nature  and  reasonableness  of  that  first  and 
great  commandment,  ' '  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God." 


170  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

5.  But  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  the  parental 
relation  come  out  pre-eminently  in  this,  that  it  gives 
the  parent  the  opportunity  of  teaching  the  child 
submission   to  parental  authority,   which  above  all 
other  human  instrumentalities,  prepares  the  way  for 
his  submission  to  God  ;  *  so  that,  on  the  whole,  no 
reason  appears  why  any  individual  of  the  human 
race  does  not,  on  account  of  the  parental  relation, 
come  to  the  point  of  moral  and  responsible  condudl, 
with  the  conditions  of  his  probation  greatly  improved 
over  those  of  Adam  or  the  Fallen  Angels,  and  in 
more  favorable  circumstances  than  either  for  secur- 
ing his  final  salvation. 

6.  But  even  more  than  this,  the  fearful  declara- 
tion contained  in  Ex.  xx  :  5,  "  Visiting  the  iniquities 
of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and 
fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate  me,"  means  that 


*  But  parents  do  not  always  take  this  course.  They  not  unf  requently, 
instead  of  directly  subjugating  the  child  to  their  own  will,  try  the  plan 
of  playing  off  one  side  of  the  constitutional  nature  against  the  other — 
the  affectionate  impulses  against  the  impatience  of  restraint ;  and  by 
coaxing,  flattery,  caresses  and  appeals  of  various  kinds,  contrive  to 
" manage''1  the  child  for  a  time  without  the  assertion  of  authority ;  but 
it  turns  out  a  miserable  experiment  in  the  end.  The  child  soon  ceases 
to  care  for  caresses  or  any  thing  but  his  own  way.  A  parent  may  secure 
the  obedience  of  a  child  of  remarkable  susceptibility,  with  tolerable 
uniformity,  for  some  years,  in  this  way.  When  obedience  is  refused,  a 
few  words  of  a  peculiarly  tender,  persuasive  and  affectionate  kind  will 
move  to  tears,  and  induce  obedience,  while  true  parental  authority  is 
never  enforced.  But  in  time,  these  delicate  chords  of  sensibility  will 
begin  to  lose  their  sensitiveness  by  being  so  often  appealed  to,  or  else 
the  untamed  will  will  outgrow  them,  and  then  there  will  be  nothing  to 
restrain.  Submission!  as  a  matter  of  duty  and  necessity,  having  never 
been  enforced,  the  child  will,  in  all  probability,  grow  up  headstrong 
and  reckless,  wilful  and  disobedient,  and  eventually  become  utterly 
abandoned. 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    171 

the  Almighty  is  aiming  in  this  way  to  repress  instead 
of  perpetuating  sin. 

For  notice,  in  the  view  we  are  taking,  it  is  not  the 
tendency  to  sin  that  is  transmitted,  but  only  the  con- 
sequences. God  appears  to  have  instituted  a  great 
law  running  through  the  entire  world,  that  the 
innocent  shall  suffer  for  the  sins  of  the  guilty  ;  and, 
in  a  special  manner,  that  the  family  shall  suffer  for 
the  sins  of  the  parent,  e.  g. 

If  the  parent  violates  the  laws  of  the  land  in  any 
way — say  by  murder  or  theft,  so  as  to  incur  the 
penalty  of  the  law,  the  entire  family  suffer  from  the 
disgrace  attending  the  infliction. 

They  suffer,  too,  and  oftentimes  most  painfully, 
from  the  incarceration  of  the  parent,  by  losing  the 
means  of  subsistence — food,  shelter,  and  clothing. 

Diseases  also,  induced  by  parental  indulgence  in 
evil  courses,  are  often  transmitted  to  the  children, 
and  may  extend  to  succeeding  generations — "to  the 
third  and  fourth." 

But  especially  do  the  children  suffer  from  the 
wicked  example  of  the  parent.  If  he  is  mean, 
miserly,  and  avaricious,  his  children  will  be  apt 
to  develop  the  same  traits  of  character.  If  he  is 
untruthful ;  if  he  is  mainly  ambitious  for  power, 
or  wealth,  or  worldly  distinction ;  if  he  lives  a 
careless  and  godless  life ;  especially  if  he  neglects 
the  means  of  grace — prayer,  the  Bible  and  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel,  then  these  various  forms  of  sinful 
conduct  are  very  apt  to  be  reproduced  in  the  child- 
ren. They,  too,  will  manifest  similar  traits  of  charac- 


172  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

ter;  partly  perhaps  from  heredity,  but  mainly,  it  is 
believed,  from  the  example  under  which  they  have 
grown  up. 

It  is  quite  generally  believed  also,  that  the  grosser 
forms  of  dissipation  in  the  parent,  like  intemperance 
and  licentiousness,  are  likely  to  crop  out  in  the  pro- 
pensities of  the  children  ;  and  that  the  same  forms 
of  sinful  indulgence  will  be  reproduced  in  them. 

Now  it  is  in  this  way  that  God  ' '  visits  the  iniqui- 
ties of  the  fathers  upon  the  children."  He  has 
instituted  these  fundamental  laws  of  society  and  the 
family,  that  through  these  transmitted  tendencies, 
he  may  impress  upon  the  mind  of  the  world,  the 
odious  and  dreadful  nature  of  sin. 

But  let  it  be  especially  noticed  that  all  these  are 
only  the  transmitted  consequences  of  sin — the  evils 
that  accompany  and  flow  from  it. 

No  arrangement  is  made  for  the  perpetuation  of 
sm,  but  they  are  all  aimed  at  arresting  its  progress. 
They  are  the  effort  of  the  Almighty  to  pour  upon 
the  ear  of  the  world  ' '  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins ' ' 
His  own  burning  indignation  against  human  wicked- 
ness ;  to  show  men  that  He  is  ' '  not  a  God  that  hath 
pleasure  in  wickedness, ' '  and  that  He  ' '  hates  all 
workers  of  iniquity. ' '  And  this  hatred  of  sin  blazes 
out  in  these  terrific  consequences  to  the  family  and 
the  community  ;  and  in  this  way  God  is  warning 
men  against  transgression,  and  urging  them  to  fear 
and  forsake  it,  and  is  thus  aiming  to  arrest  its  pro- 
gress, saying  to  them  in  these  consequences  that  can 
be  seen  and  felt,  "  Know  therefore  and  see  that  it  is 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    173 

an  evil  thing  and  bitter  that  thou  hast  forsaken  the 
lyord  thy  God,  and  that  my  fear  is  not  in  thee,  saith 
the  Lord  God  of  hosts."  (Jer.  ii :  19). 

The  view  held,  therefore,  in  the  preceding  pages, 
is  that  all  the  circumstances  and  surroundings  of 
our  race — the  connection  of  the  soul  with  a  material 
body,  the  conditions  of  infancy,  the  parental  rela- 
tion, and  the  entire  providential  dealings  of  God 
with  the  race — have  been  all  of  them  so  arranged  as 
to  work  against  their  certain  sinfulness,  and  to  pave 
the  way  for  their  repentance  and  pardon ;  so  that 
every  individual  of  the  race  comes  to  the  point  of 
moral  and  responsible  conduct  in  better  circum- 
stances for  the  development  of  a  holy  character  than 
were  either  Adam  or  the  Angels ;  and  therefore  that 
all  of  God's  dealings  with  the  race  have  been  only 
in  the  direction  of  holiness  and  salvation. 

7.  The  verdict  of  Christian  consciousness  also  is 
that  all  our  depravity  is  our  own  fault,  and  that  for 
all  the  moral  imperfection  there  is  in  us  we  alone 
are  responsible.  Wicked  men  often  blame  nature's 
laws,  and  charge  their  sinful  conduct  to  their  innate 
tendencies  as  upon  something  beyond  their  control. 
Not  so  with  the  Christian.  In  his  confessions  of 
sin  in  the  closet  he  invariably  assumes  the  entire 
burden  of  his  moral  imperfection.  He  condemns 
himself,  and  himself  only,  for  every  particle  of  sin 
or  sinful  desire  or  sinful  tendency  there  is  in  him. 
Theologically  he  may  believe  that  sin  is  inherited 
from  Adam,  but  in  the  closet  he  utters  only  the  lan- 
guage of  self-condemnation  for  anything  and  every- 


174  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

thing  in  him  not  in  accordance  with  the  demands  of 
God's  perfect  law.  The  verdict  of  Christian  con- 
sciousness is  that  nothing  in  me  that  is  sinful  has 
any  right  to  be  there — that  there  is  no  excuse  for  its 
being  there  ;  that  I  alone  am  the  guilty  author  of  it, 
and  am  under  obligation  heartily  to  repent  of  it. 

Is  it  said  that  the  utterance  of  David  in  the  Fifty- 
first  Psalm  contradidls  this  ?  Answer : 

The  language  of  David  in  Psalm  li :  5,  is  the 
strong  figurative  confession  of  actual  and  fearful  sin 
— of  an  enormous  crime.  It  is  not  hereditary  sin 
nor  inborn  depravity  that  he  is  thinking  of  and 
bewailing,  but  downright,  open,  wicked  conduft — 
the  sin  of  adultery  and  murder — and  is  no  more  to 
be  taken  literally  than  is  the  expression  "broken 
bones"  in  verse  8. 

SBC.  6.     Other  Aspects  of  Human  Probation. 

i .  The  race  has  been  constituted  on  the  principle 
of  a  progressive  development,  instead  of  being  created 
all  at  one  time ;  the  result  being  that  men  can  profit 
by  the  experience  of  the  past — the  record  of  history 
— and  thus  be  made  sure  of  the  nature  and  results 
of  improper  conduct  without  the  necessity  for  a  per- 
sonal experience  ;  may  know  assuredly  that  vice  is 
calamitous  in  its  effects,  and  sin  ruinous  ;  and  may 
learn  also,  from  the  same  record,  that  "wisdom's 
ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness  and  all  her  paths  are 
peace."  But  above  all  these,  men  may  learn  the 
grand  record  of  Redemption  as  it  has  been  unfolded 
all  along  the  track  of  centuries,  from  the  first 
obscure  promise  in  Eden  down  through  the  light  of 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    175 

prophecy  to  the  coming  of  Christ  himself,  and  the 
subsequent  power  that  accompanied  the  preaching 
of  it  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  especially  its 
nobler  triumphs  in  these  latter  days. 

2.  The  curse  of  unfruitfulness  on  the  earth,  com- 
pelling man  to  eat  bread  ' '  in  the  sweat  of  his  face, ' ' 
and  dooming  him  to  a  lifetime  of  toil,  yet  operating 
by  the  very  necessity  for  laborious  occupation,  to 
subdue  his  imperious  will,  and  preserve  him  against 
temptation. 

3.  The  entire  array  and  admixture  of  providential 
dealings,  both  in  the  way  of  judgment  and  mercy, 
meeting  him  at  every  step  in  life,   warning  him 
against  transgression,  and  pointing  him  ever  towards 
the  path  of  righteousness  as  the  only  safe  and  proper 
one;  and  mingling  in  the  cup  of  his  experience, 
happiness  and  misery,  joy  and  sorrow,  in  just  that 
proportion  best  adapted,  on  the  whole,  to  stir  him 
up  to  repentance,   to  break  the  bonds  of  sin,  and 
drive  him  to  Christ  for  pardon. 

4.  Temporal  death,  inherited  from  Adam,  and  yet 
also  coming  on  men  as  the  fearful  and  abiding  testi- 
mony of  God  against  their  own  sin — "the  animad- 
version of  a  righteous  God  upon  it ;  "  standing  as  a 
grim  specter  in  the  path  of  every  living  man,  grasp- 
ing him  at  last  with  relentless  hand,  and  removing 
him  by  a  visible  process  to  that  other,  future  world, 
pregnant  to  his  guilty  conscience  with  a  righteous 
retribution;  and  all  to  make  him  fear  sin,  and  seek 
deliverance  from  its  power. 

5.  And  then  all  this  contrasted  with  the  bright 


176  THE   ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

world  in  which  he  lives,  and  in  which  God  ' '  hath 
made  everything  beautiful  in  his  time; ' '  and  whose 
beauty  sinfulness  only  has  marred;  being  filled  with 
every  variety  of  divine  manifestation,  and  illustrat- 
ing, in  every  conceivable  aspect,  the  wisdom  of  God 
in  the  works  of  creation,  and  his  wonderful  benevo- 
lence in  the  great  plan  of  salvation. 

6.  Moral  government  everywhere — in  the  family, 
the  state,  and  the  nation  ;  designed  to  instruct  the 
race  in  the  prime  duty  of  submission  to  law  and 
authority,  that  they  might  thus  learn  submission  to 
God. 

7.  The  Bible — God's  direct  revelation  to  men; 
unfolding  to  them  his  character  for  ' '  goodness  and 
severity,"   as  one  who    "  forgiveth    iniquity  and 
transgression  and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means 
clear   the  guilty;"    revealing  his  righteous  law, 
enjoining  upon  them  to  ' '  love  God  with  all  their 
hearts,  and  their  neighbor  as  themselves ; ' '  filled 
with  all  encouragements  to  right  living,  and  with 
all  warnings  and  threatenings  against  an  evil  course, 
and  with  all  needed  instructions  for  the  guidance  of 
men,    so  that   ' '  the   way-faring  men  though  fools 
need  not  err  therein."    (Is.  xxxv  :  8.)     And  above 
all   pressing  them   with  the  most  powerful  of  all 
motives  to  holiness — the  infinite  love  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus.     Indeed,  the  beginning,   middle  and 
end  of  the  Bible  is  to  unfold  the  great  plan  of  mercy 
through  a  crucified  Redeemer. 

8.  All  instrumentalities  for  creating  and  deepen- 
ing religious  feeling  and  conviction — prayers,  sacra- 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    177 

ments,  Sabbaths,  sanctuaries,  Christian  intercourse, 
and  means  of  grace  generally ;  and  all  accompanied 
and  intensified  in  their  influence  by  the  powerful 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit — "  God's  last,  best  gift  to 
man  ; ' '  operating  upon  his  heart  to  give  efficacy  to 
all  these  means  and  motives,  and  striving,  with 
unutterable  earnestness,  to  lead  him  to  repentance  ; 
and  used,  as  we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  to  the 
very  last  extent  they  properly  can  be,  to  lead  men  to 
accept  of  pardon  and  life  through  the  atoning  Savior. 

9.  The  affecting  representation  of ' '  all  Heaven  in 
astir"  about  the  matter  of  human  recovery;  "so 
that  there  cannot  a  single  son  or  a  single  daughter 
be  reclaimed  from  sin  to  holiness,  without  an  acclam- 
ation of  joy  among  the  hosts  of  Paradise  ;  aye,  and 
it  can  be  said  of  the  humblest  and  unworthiest  of  us 
all,  that  the  eye  of  angels  is  upon  him,  and  that  his 
repentance  would,  at  this  moment,  send  forth  a  wave 
of    delighted    sensibility    throughout    the    mighty 
throng  of  their  innumerable  legions. ' '  * 

10.  Finally,  the  Almighty  himself,  in  entire  con- 
sistency with  all  these  means,  motives,  and  instru- 
mentalities which  He  has  set  in  operation,  and  which 
are  the  evidence  to  the  universe  of  His  sincerity, 
swearing  by  His  own  Eternal  Self  that  He  is  not  will- 
ing that  man  should  perish — ' '  As  I  live,  saith  the 
Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked  ;  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and 
live ;  turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil  ways  ;  for  why 
will  ye  die  ?  "     (  Eze.  xxxiii :  1 1 . ) 

*  Chalmers. 


178  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Viewed  in  this  light,  the  world  may  be  regarded 
as  one  mighty  mass  of  means  and  efforts  for  saving 
men — as  a  vast  work-room ,  filled  with  every  descrip- 
tion of  the  most  powerful  and  complicated  moral 
machinery,  from  the  awful  presence  and  operation 
of  the  Almighty  Spirit,  down  to  the  smallest  provi- 
dential dealing ;  and  all  arranged  for  the  single 
object  of  working  out  salvation  for  the  sinful ;  and 
God  Himself  presiding  over  all,  directing  all,  the 
Omnipotent  energy  that  keeps  all  in  motion.  We 
may  thus  regard  Him  as  throwing  Himself,  with  the 
entire  resources  of  His  infinite  nature,  on  the  side  of 
repentance  and  salvation,  and  day  and  night  urging 
on  the  mightiest  instrumentalities  of  the  universe, 
to  pluck  sinning  men  from  perdition,  "  not  willing 
tJtat  any  should  perish. ' ' 

Here,  we  see  what  a  serious  and  tremendous  mat- 
ter is  this  earthly  probation,  from  the  fa<5l  that 
nothing  can  apparently  be  added  to  it  to  increase 
the  likelihood  of  its  success.  Certainly  there  can  be 
no  better  physical  arrangements,  no  different  prin- 
ciples of  moral  government,  no  more  powerful 
motives,  and  no  better  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
so  that  the  Divine  instrumentality  in  changing 
human  character,  and  leading  sinful  men  to  love 
and  serve  God,  through  means,  motives  and  influ- 
ences of  various  kinds,  is  manifestly  exerted  to  the 
full  extent  in  this  world  that  it  wisely  and  properly 
can  be. 

Whatever  objections,  therefore,  any  one  may 
make  to  the  present  arrangements  of  this  world, 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  THE  HUMAN  RACE.    179 

even  in  view  of  all  the  misery  and  wretchedness 
which  sin  has  here  occasioned,  he  is  not  competent 
to  assert  that  the  human  race  could  have  been  placed 
in  circumstances  involving  any  less  of  guilt,  any  less 
of  suffering,  a  more  hopeful  probation,  or  the  final 
salvation  of  one  more  individual.  Bven  more,  upon 
the  assumed  benevolence  of  God,  and  his  unequivo- 
cal declaration  of  his  unwillingness  that  any  should 
perish,  as  well  as  the  manifest  conditions  of  human 
probation,  we  are  bound  to  believe  that  every 
arrangement  of  this  world  is  in  the  interest  of  salva- 
tion ;  that  everything  is  done  that  can  be,  to  pluck 
sinning  men  from  perdition;  and  even  to  that  extent 
that  the  economies  of  Divine  Providence  and  Grace 
have  both  been  completely  exhausted  in  this  direc- 
tion; so  that  God  may  now  truthfully  say,  in  view  of 
all  He  has  done  to  save  men,  "What  could  have 
been  done  more  to  my  vineyard  that  I  have  not  done 
in  it?"  (Is.  v:4.) 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MORAL  EVIL  IN  ITS  RELATIONS  TO  THE  UNFALLEN 
ANGELS. 

The  assumption  usually  is  that  they  were  created 
at  the  same  time  with  the  Fallen  Angels,  and  that 
both  existed  together  for  a  time  in  holiness  and  hap- 
piness. But  this  idea  is  purely  Miltonian,  and  has 
no  foundation  in  the  Scriptures.  The  Fallen  Angel 
only  is  mentioned  in  the  beginning.  Moreover,  the 
supposition  that  both  were  created  at  the  same  time, 
starts  troublesome  questions.  If  a  part  sinned,  why 
not  all  ?  If  God  could  keep  a  part  from  sinning, 
why  not  all  ?  And  to  these  questions,  human  reason 
gives  not  even  a  conjectural  answer. 

When  they  were  created,  we  know  not.  No  men- 
tion is  made  of  them  till  the  time  of  Abraham.  All 
possible  periods  have  been  assigned  to  their  creation 
— "before  the  visible  world;  "  "on  the  first  of  the 
six  days;  "  "on  the  fourth  day; ' '  and  ' '  after  man. ' ' 
This  latter  view  was  held  by  Gennadius  in  the  fifth 
century,  and  by  Schubert  of  Helmstadt  in  modern 
times.  [Knapp's  Theology.]  We  may  locate  them, 
therefore,  anywhere  before  the  time  of  Abraham, 
where  they  will  best  harmonize  with  the  general 

180 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  UNFALLEN  ANGELS.  l8l 

system.*  In  the  absence  of  all  opposing  evidence, 
and  following  the  Biblical  order,  we  prefer  to  consider 
them  the  third  order  of  created  intelligences. 

Assuming  this,  and  the  following  considerations 
will  sufficiently  explain  the  fact  of  their  perseverance 
in  holiness. 

1.  They  have  seen  the  firmness  of  God  in  the 
punishment  of  the  sinning  angels,  making  the  high- 
est possible  appeal  to  fear,  and  operating  powerfully 
to  deter  them  from  transgression. 

2.  They  are  brought  into  fierce  and  persistent 
conflict  with  these  same  wicked  spirits — the  Powers 
of  Evil. 

The  angel  commissioned  to  attend  upon  the 
prophet  Daniel,  and  "minister"  to  him,  is  repre- 
sented as  being  hindered  by  a  severe  contest  with  a 
powerful  and  wicked  agency — some  malignant  spirit 
who  was  thwarting  and  hindering  him.  (Dan.  x:  13. ) 

In  the  vision  of  Zechariah,  he  saw  "Joshua  the 
high  priest  standing  before  the  angel  of  the  Lord, 
and  Satan  standing  at  his  right  hand  to  resist  him. ' ' 
(Zech.  iii:i,  2.) 

*  It  seems  desirable  to  locate  them,  if  possible,  so  that  there  shall 
appear  to  be,  from  their  position,  some  reason  or  explanation  why  they 
maintained  their  allegiance,  •while  the  others  rebelled.  In  the  view 
here  presented,  the  effort  has  been  to  find  the  explanation  in  the  appeal 
to  fear  in  the  punishment  of  the  Fallen  Angels,  and  to  affection  in  the 
work  of  Redemption. 

Now,  if  any  one  chooses  to  place  their  creation  before  that  of  Adam, 
or  can  put  it  at  any  other  time,  where  they  shall  appear  to  come  under 
the  influence  of  these  or  other  motives  in  some  more  natural  or  effect- 
ive manner,  or  to  locate  them  in  any  other  position  which  shall  better 
explain  the  fact  of  their  continued  allegiance,  then  such  a  place  or 
period  for  their  creation  will,  on  that  account,  seem  preferable  to  the 
one  herein  advocated. 


182  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

In  Rev.  xii:y,  the  declaration  is,  "There  was 
war  in  heaven;  Michael  and  his  angels  fought 
against  the  dragon;  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his 
angels. ' ' 

And  so  everywhere  in  the  world,  where  the  angels 
of  heaven  find  their  appropriate  employment  in 
ministering  to  God's  children,  and  promoting  the 
interests'  of  His  kingdom,  they  are  very  likely 
brought  into  the  fiercest  antagonism  with  the  Devil 
and  his  angels;  so  that  they,  as  well  as  we,  are 
' '  wrestling  against  Principalities,  against  Powers, 
against  the  Rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world, 
against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places."  (Eph. 
vi:i2.) 

It  is  evident  that  the  entire  influence  of  such  a 
conflict  must  be  to  enlist  their  sympathies  on  the 
side  of  God;  to  lead  them  to  hate  the  character  and 
conduct  of  their  opposers;  to  awaken  affection  for 
the  cause  of  truth  and  righteousness  for  which  they 
contend;  and  thus  to  fortify  their  position  in  right, 
by  the  most  powerful  defenses  of  holy  character. 

3.  They   are  also  deterred  from  sinning  by  the 
punishment  of  the  ungodly   of  this  world.      The 
declaration  in  Revelation  xiv:io,  is  that  the  sinners 
there  spoken  of  should  be  ' '  tormented  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  holy  angels."     Why  should  they  be 
compelled  to  witness  so  dreadful  a  sight  if  it  were 
not  necessary?    Why  necessary  but  for  its  moral 
effect  upon  them  ?    What  moral  effect  can  be  imag- 
ined as  necessary  but  to  keep  them  from  apostasy  ? 

4.  They  have  witnessed  the  mercy  of  God  in  the 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  UNFALLEN  ANGELS.    183 

work  of  Redemption.  They  behold  Him  stooping  in 
tenderness  and  pity  to  the  lost,  and  giving  His  only 
begotten  Son  to  death  for  their  salvation,  furnishing 
thus  the  highest  possible  appeal  to  affettion;  and 
they  cannot  contemplate  it  without  being  drawn  to 
Him  in  wonder,  admiration  and  love,  and  having 
an  ardent  desire  also,  to  explore  the  mysteries  of 
this  wonderful  plan. — "Which  things  the  angels 
desire  to  look  into"  (i  Pet.  1:12.)* 

5.  Added  to  this,  and  as  tending  in  a  special  man- 
ner to  draw  them  into  sympathy  with  God,  are  their 
own  personal  ministrations  to  the  redeemed.  "  Are 
they  not  all  ministering  spirits  sent  forth  to  minister 
for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation?  "  (Heb. 
i :  14. )  This  is  pre-eminently  their  delightful  employ- 
ment— bestowing  their  affectionate  attentions  upon 
those  redeemed  ones  whom  the  Savior  has  loved 
with  an  everlasting  love,  and  whose  "names  are 
written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world. ' '  ( Rev.  xvii :8. ) 

The  probability,  therefore,  is  that  the  Unfallen 
Angels  are  being  educated  for  God's  eternal  service; 

*  The  following  striking  passage  occurs  in  the  work  of  Conybeare 
and  Howson  :  "  This  statement  of  the  infinite  extent  of  the  results  of 
Christ's  redemption,  (which  may  well  fill  us  with  reverential  awe, )  has 
been  a  sore  stumbling-block  to  many  commentators,  who  have  devised 
various  (and  some  very  ingenious)  modes  of  explaining  it  away.  Into 
these  this  is  not  the  place  to  enter.  It  is  sufficient  to  observe  that  St. 
Paul  is  still  led  to  set  forth  the  true  greatness  of  Christ  in  opposition  to 
the  angelolatry  of  the  Colossian  heretics,  intimating  that  far  from 
Christ's  being  one  only  of  the  angelic  hierarchy,  the  heavenly  hosts 
themselves  stood  in  need  of  his  atonement.'1''  CONYBEARE  and  HOWSON, 
Vol.  II.,  p.  386,  note  5. 

"The  voice  of  mercy  confirmed  the  angels  in  their  obedience.'1'' 
TOWNSEND'S  NOTES.  Note  25,  Part  VII. 


184  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

and  by  adlive  sympathy  and  co-operation  with  Him 
in  the  plan  of  salvation — with  whose  grand  design, 
just  mentioned,  they  may  have  been  made  fully 
acquainted — are  being  steadily  lifted  to  that  consoli- 
dation of  character  on  the  side  of  God  and  holiness, 
which  shall  finally  confirm  them,  if  it  has  not 
already,  in  eternal  obedience. 

If  they  are  not  already  confirmed,  then  their  posi- 
tion is  doubtless  analogous  to  that  of  Adam  in  the 
garden  previous  to  his  fall,  and  like  him  they  are 
studying  the  works  and  wonders  of  the  Almighty  as 
exhibited  on  the  entire  field  of  his  moral  and  provi- 
dential government,  preparatory  to  passing  the  trial 
of  probation  in  safety. 

But  in  addition  to  this,  the  angels  are  now  em- 
ployed in  studying  and  ' '  looking  into ' '  the  great 
scheme  of  Redemption,  and  admiring  its  glories; 
and  if  such  employments  for  thousands  of  years, 
will  finally  result  in  their  confirmation  in  holiness, 
and  are  necessary  to  it,  then  will  they  be  thus  em- 
ployed for  thousands  of  years;  for  "on  the  high 
scale  of  eternity,"  they  would  all  be  but  a  day;  and 
so  glorious  a  consummation  would  well  compensate 
for  the  study  and  employment  of  ages. 

But  if  they  are  already  established  in  holiness, 
then  it  appears  to  be  already  possible  to  confirm 
intelligent  beings  in  obedience  to  God;  and  the 
question  arises — Why,  in  the  view  we  are  taking, 
should  the  experiment  with  this  wicked  world  be 
any  longer  continued  ? 

The  following  is  suggested — The  plan  of  Redemp- 


MORAL  EVIL:  RELATIONS  TO  UNFALLEN  ANGELS.    185 

tion  thus  far  has  been  carried  on  under  the  personal 
inspection  of  angelic  beings;  and  this  personal  obser- 
vation has  been  to  the  last  degree  efficacious  in 
drawing  them  in  affectionate  submission  to  the 
Almighty.  But  to  the  newly  created  beings  of 
future  ages  and  of  other  worlds,  this  personal  inspec- 
tion of  God's  merciful  dealings  with  sinful  men, 
will  be  impossible;  and  the  glories  and  wonders  of 
Redemption,  which  have  beamed  with  such  dazzling 
splendor  on  the  gaze  of  the  Archangel,  and  have 
stirred  all  the  depths  of  his  being  with  their  im- 
mediate power,  can  only  reach  other  and  future 
worlds  as  a  matter  of  history.  They  can  never  see 
the  agony  in  the  garden,  nor  the  death  upon  the 
cross;  and  these  can  never  become  influential,  in 
the  same  way  with  them  as  with  the  angels.  And 
so,  as  we  suppose,  the  world  must  yet  move  on,  and 
motives  multiply  from  God's  dealings  with  the  suc- 
cessive generations  of  men,  until  a  historic  efficacy  of 
motive  shall  have  been  reached  sufficient  for  the 
necessities  of  the  future  universe;  and  not  till  then 
will  come  the  signal  for  the  winding  up  of  human 
affairs. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
MORAL  EVII,  IN  ITS  RELATION  TO  REDEMPTION. 

The  Atonement  is  the  great  central  fact  of  the 
universe.  ' '  All  things  were  created  for  Him  ' ' 
(Col.  i:i6),  so  that  all  the  arrangements  of  the  uni- 
verse, past,  present,  and  future,  have  prime  refer- 
ence to  the  work  of  Redemption.  In  this  view,  all 
the  past  dealings  of  God  with  the  universe  have 
been  only  in  the  way  of  preparation  for  its  introduc- 
tion, and  all  the  future  ages  will  only  be  for  its 
progressive  and  eternal  unfolding. 

The  Atonement  has  a  three-fold  application — To 
Man,  to  the  Angels  of  Heaven,  and  to  the  Future 
Universe. 

I.    THE  ATONEMENT  IN  ITS   RELATIONS  TO  MAN. 

i.  The  object  of  the  Atonement  is  to  render  for- 
giveness possible  under  the  perfect  moral  govern- 
ment of  God.  Under  such  a  government,  the 
question  is — How  can  a  sinner  be  forgiven  for  his 
sin,  and  so  be  treated  better  than  he  deserves,  with- 
out involving  imperfection  in  the  Divine  character  ? 

For  example — Should  God  treat  one  of  his  moral 
creatures  worse  than  he  deserves,  the  songs  of 
Heaven  would  stop,  and  the  Heavens  themselves 

1 86 


MORAL  EVIL  :    RELATION  TO  REDEMPTION.         187 

be  hung  in  sackcloth.  The  intelligence  would  go 
abroad  that  God  was,  after  all,  an  imperfect  being. 
He  had  sinned  against  the  great  law  of  Benevolence, 
and  could  no  longer  be  trusted. 

But  suppose  Him  to  treat  him  better  than  he 
deserves,  with  no  compensation  like  the  Atonement. 
The  result  would  be  equally  disastrous;  for  it  would 
be  a  sin  against  Justice.  In  either  case,  His  admin- 
istration— the  great  transcript  of  Himself  and  His 
character,  would  be  seen  to  be  imperfect,  and  there- 
fore Himself  an  imperfect  being,  and,  as  such, 
unworthy  of  the  confidence  of  his  intelligent  creation. 

With  no  provision  like  the  Atonement,  therefore, 
there  would  appear  to  be  no  possibility  of  pardon 
for  sin. 

The  Great  Savior  understood  the  difficulty,  and 
in  order  to  meet  it,  "  offered  Himself  without  spot  to 
God  "  (Heb.  ix  :  14),  and  thus  removed  the  obsta- 
cles to  this  sinner's  salvation,  arising  from  his  rela- 
tions to  moral  government.  He  said  in  effect  to  His 
Father,  looking  forward  to  this  world,  ' '  It  will  be 
a  sinful  world.  I  will  put  myself  in  the  place  of  its 
sinfulness.  I  will  put  away  its  sin  by  the  sacrifice 
of  myself.  (Heb.  ix  :  26. )  The  heavy  burden  of 
sin  will  crush  it.  I  will  bear  the  heavy  burden. 
Thou  shalt  '  lay  on  me  the  iniquity  of  them  all ' 
(Is.  liii  :  6),  and  I  will  '  bear  their  sins  in  my  own 
body  on  the  tree.'  (i  Pet.  ii  :  24.).  Thy  wrath 
also  will  burn  against  them  for  their  personal  abuse 
of  Thee  and  rebellion  against  Thy  great  govern- 
ment, but  I  will  be  their  '  Advocate  '  (John  2:1), 


l88  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

and  they  shall  be  '  saved  from  wrath  through  Me. '  ' ' 
(Rom.  v :  9.) 

And  God  accepted  this  great  sacrifice  of  his  Son 
thus  freely  ' '  offered  ;  ' '  and  now  not  an  individual 
of  all  earth's  millions,  though  sinful  and  hell- 
deserving,  need  to  perish.  Believing  in  Him  as  the 
"propitiation"  for  sin,  they  are  accepted  of  God, 
and  their  sins  and  iniquities  will  be  ' '  remembered 
no  more." 

2.  But  another  difficulty  was  in  the  way:  to  re- 
move the  wilfulness  and  stubbornness  of  the  sinner's 
own  heart,  so  that  he  will  be  led,  of  his  own  free 
will,  to  submit  himself  to  the  will  and  pleasure  of 
God. 

The  case  is  distinctly  stated  by  the  Apostle  in 
Rom.  viii :  3  thus:  "  For  what  the  law  could  not 
do  [secure  the  obedience  and  submission  of  men  to 
God],  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh 
[through  the  overpowering  strength  of  natural  pro- 
pensities] ,  God  [accomplished  by]  sending  His  own 
Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  [sending  Him 
as  a  sin-offering — marginal  reading — '  a  sacrifice  for 
sin'],  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh  [condemned  it 
for  its  heinousness,  subdued  its  power  in  the  soul, 
and  delivered  the  believing  one  from  its  slavery] , 
that  the  righteousness  of  the  Law  [the  absolute  per- 
fection which  the  Law  requires]  might  be  fulfilled 
[accomplished]  in  us  [and  in  all  true  Christians] 
who  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit. ' ' 

It  appears,  therefore,  from  this,  that  the  sacrifice 
of  Christ  was  indispensable  in  order  to  accomplish 


MORAL  EVIL  :    RELATION  TO  REDEMPTION.         189 

this  work  of  deliverance  from  the  power  of  sin. 
When,  therefore,  he  "offered  himself  without  spot 
to  God  "  he  said  in  effect  to  the  Father,  "  I  know 
that  the  soul  of  the  sinning  one  will  be  guilty  and 
defiled  by  sin,  but  'My  blood  shall  cleanse  it.'" 
( i  Jno.  i :  7 . )  And  even  though  its  ' '  sins  be  scarlet 
they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow;  though  they  be  red 
as  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool."  (Is.  i:  18.) 
I  will  "redeem"  believing  souls  "from  all 
iniquity."  (Tit.  ii :  14.)  I  will  "  put  away  their 
sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  Myself"  (Heb.  ix  :  26),  "  and 
with  my  stripes  they  shall  be  healed."  Is.  liii  :  5.) 
"In  the  body  of  My  flesh  through  death,  I  will 
present  them  holy  and  unblamable,  and  unreprovable 
in  Thy  sight"  (Col.  i:  22),  "  and  faultless  before 
the  presence  of  Thy  glory  with  exceeding  joy." 
(Jude  24.) 

"  If  we  confess  our  sins,  He  is  faithful  and  just  to 
forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unright- 
eousness. "  ( i  John  i  :  9. ) 

And  we  may  suppose  the  Father  to  have  replied 
thus:  "Thou  art  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am 
well  pleased"  (Matt,  xvii :  5);  but  I  so  love  this 
sinful  world  that,  inasmuch  as  Thou  hast  freely 
offered  Thyself  for  its  forgiveness  and  salvation,  I 
will  "  give  "  even  Thee,  "  My  only  begotten  Son," 
to  sufferings  and  death,  "  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  Thee  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life."  (Jno.  iii  :  16.) 

And,  moreover,  as  the  reward  of  Thy  great  sacri- 
fice, I  will  give  Thee  a  great  multitude  ' '  which  no 


190  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

man  can  number, ' '  and  they  shall  surely  ' '  come  to 
Thee"  (Jno.  vi :  37),  "and  they  shall  never  perish, 
for  no  one  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  My  hand. ' ' 
(John  x  :  28,  29.)  And  so  mighty  and  immeasur- 
able shall  be  the  future  results  and  triumphs  of  Thy 
great  work,  that  Thou  shalt  ' '  see  of  the  travail  of 
Thy  soul  and  shall  be  satisfied"  (Is.  liii :  n.) 

And  it  is  this  exhibition  of  the  infinite  kindness, 
compassion,  and  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  which, 
above  all  things  else,  melts  the  heart  of  the  sinner 
in  contrition  for  his  sin,  and  makes  him  willing  to 
accept  of  these  provisions  of  grace,  and  become  a 
forgiven  sinner. 

3.  Another  object  of  Christ  in  his  divine  mission, 
was  to  set  before  men  a  perfect  example  of  holy  liv- 
ing and  acting.     Christ  was  made  in  all  things  like 
us  (Heb.  ii  :   17),  and  inherited  all  the  weaknesses 
and  infirmities  that  we  inherit,  and  encountered  all 
the  obstacles  to  right  living  that  we  encounter.    And 
yet  by  self-denial,  by  resistance  to  temptation,  and 
by  earnest  devotion  to  God  and  his  service,  he  kept 
himself  true  to  God  and  duty,  and  thus  showed  us 
the  great  capabilities  of  our  human  nature — what 
we  may  do,  what  we  should  do,  and  what  we  ought 
to  expect  to  accomplish  in  the  way  of  right  living; 
as  the  apostle  says,  "Leaving  us  an  example  that 
we  should  follow  his  steps  who  did  no  sin"    (i  Pet. 
ii:  21.) 

4.  Still  another  object  was  to  introduce  into  this 
world  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  would 
undoubtedly  have  found  no  place  under  a  system  of 


MORAL  EVIL  :    RELATION  TO  REDEMPTION.        191 

mere  law.  At  all  events,  we  find  it  clearly  stated 
that  these  influences  oelong  to  the  general  system  of 
grace,  and  form  a  prominent  and  even  vital  part  of 
it.  For  the  declaration  of  the  Apostle  is  that  the 
Spirit  is  ' '  given  through  Christ  Jesus. ' '  (Tit.  iii  : 
6. )  And  our  Savior  himself  declared  that  He  would 
send  him  as  a  ' '  comforter ' '  to  His  own  disciples 
(John  xvi :  7);  and,  moreover,  that  to  him  should 
be  given  the  great  work  of  ' '  convincing  the  world 
of  sin,  of  righteousness  and  of  judgment ' '  (John  xvi: 
8) — of  sin  as  that  which  all  have  committed ;  of 
righteousness,  as  showing  them  the  great  plan  of 
forgiveness  and  salvation  through  Christ ;  of  judg- 
ment, as  the  just  penalty  for  committing  sin,  and  the 
certain  consequence  of  rejecting  offered  mercy. 

5.  And  the  culmination  of  the  Savior's  work,  in 
the  case  of  each  individual  Christian  is,  to  be  with 
him  in  the  dying  hour,  and  give  him  an  abundant 
entrance  at  last  into  the  ' '  Mansion  which  He  has 
gone  before  to  prepare  for  him."  (John  xiv:  2,  3.) 
And  so  the  song  of  eternity  will  be,  ' '  Unto  Him 
that  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His 
own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto 
God  and  His  Father  ;  to  Him  be  glory  and  domin- 
ion for  ever  and  ever.  Amen."  (Rev.  i:  5,  6.) 

NOTE. —  [Should  any  one  inquire  here  as  to  the 
philosophical  aspects  of  the  Atonement — how  inno- 
cence can  atone  for  guilt ;  how  obedience  can  make 
up  for  disobedience;  how  the  undeserved  sufferings  of 
an  innocent  being  can  cancel  the  deserved  sufferings 
of  the  sinful,  and  other  similar  matters,  the  reply  is  : 


•192  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

The  Bible  has  given  no  answer  to  such  questions; 
and,  therefore,  it  is  not  necessary  that  we  should 
understand  them.  Therefore,  also,  all  such  inquiries 
respecting  the  nature  and  necessity  of  the  Atone- 
ment, and  the  various  explanations  which  have  been 
suggested,  are,  after  all,  merely  human  speculations, 
of  no  Divine  authority,  and  we  may  accept  or  reject 
them  as  we  please.]  * 

6.  One  other  fact  respecting  the  Atonement  needs 
to  be  mentioned,  viz.,  that  it  was  intended  for  all 
mankind.  It  is  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  entire 
world,  and  was  intended  for  the  salvation  of  all  men. 

The  foreknowledge  that  this  salvation  would  be 
rejected  by  multitudes  was  not  allowed  to  interfere 

*  The  mass  of  thoughtful  men  in  Christian  lands  who  are  yet  not 
Christians,  are  thinking  thus— must  I  believe  the  Gospel  ?  Can  I  not  in 
some  way  dispense  with  it  ?  Can  I  not  believe  Christ  to  have  been, 
after  all,  a  mere  man  ;  and  can  there  not  be  some  scheme  which  shall 
leave  out  the  attribute  of  His  divinity,  and  yet  meet  the  entire  problem 
of  His  life,  sufferings,  and  death,  and  which  shall  also  lift  the  burden 
of  guilt  from  human  souls?  Cannot  the  problem  of  human  salvation 
from  the  deserved  consequences  of  sin  be  solved  without  the  assump- 
tion of  a  Savior,  who  is  "  God  manifest  In  the  flesh  f  " 

But  the  question  to  be  asked  such  a  one  in  retura  is,  Why  should  you 
wish  to  ?  The  Gospel  of  the  New  Testament  proclaims  an  almighty 
Savior  from  sin.  Why  should  you  wish  an  inferior  one?  Why  wish  to 
rob  Him  of  that  almightiness  ?  The  question  should  rather  be,  May  I 
believe  in  the  Gospel  of  the  Infinite  Son  of  God  ?  May  I  believe  that 
God  has  stooped  in  tenderness  and  pity  to  the  lost,  folded  them  in  the 
arms  of  His  love,  and  provided  for  them  an  infinite  redemption 
through  the  sacrifice  of  His  divine  and  beloved  Son  ? 

And,  indeed,  with  every  one  who  has  once  really  seen  his  own  sinful- 
ness,  the  question  never  is,  Must  I  believe  this  Gospel  plan  of  Salvation, 
but  May  I  ?  May  I  believe  that  a  way  has  been  opened  by  which,  as  a 
sinner  against  God,  I  may  be  forgiven  ?  And  when  any  one  approaches 
the  question  in  this  form,  the  whole  Bible  is  seen  at  once  to  glow  and 
blaze  with  the  proofs  of  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the  world 
as  an  Almighty  Savior,  the  Son  of  God,  the  God-man,  "  the  I,amb  slain 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  (Rev.  xiii  :  8.) 


MORAL  EVIL  :    RELATION  TO  REDEMPTION.        193 

in  the  least  with  the  fulness  and  heartiness  of  the 
design.  The  design  was  the  world's  salvation,  and 
it  was  as  truly  meant  for  the  world  as  if  the  whole 
world  had  accepted  it.  The  Scripture  proof  of  this 
is  abundant : 

"  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn 
the  world,  but  that  the  world  through  Him  might 
be  saved."  (Jno.  iii  :  17.) 

"  I  came  not  to  judge  the  world,  but  to  save  the 
world.'"  (Jno.  xii  :  47.) 

' '  He  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  not  for 
ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world." 
(i  Jno.  ii  :  2.) 

These  expressions  also  occur — "  God  will  have  all 
men  to  be  saved. "  "  He  is  the  Savior  of  all  men. ' ' 
1 '  For  the  bread  of  God  is  He  which  cometh  down 
from  Heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world." 
"God  so  loved  the  world,  that  He  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son. "  "  The  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world."  "Christ  tasted  death 
for  every  man." 

Therefore  the  Scripture  doctrine  is  that  the  Atone- 
ment was  designed  and  provided  for  the  salvation  of 
the  entire  world. 

The  main  design  of  the  Atonement  in  its  relations 
to  this  world  is  two-fold — 

First — To  render  forgiveness  possible  under  the 
perfect  moral  government  of  God. 

The  Atonement  stands  so  related  to  God's  moral 
government  as  to  sustain  it  in  its  integrity,  and  the 
Almighty  himself  in  the  perfection  of  His  character, 


IQ4  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

and  still  allow  Him,  with  safety,  to  pour  out  His 
infinite  love  upon  the  sinful  and  the  lost.  He  can 
now  "justify  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus, "  sanctify 
him  through  the  influences  of  His  Divine  Spirit, 
and  take  him  into  His  favor  forevermore.  This  is 
the  Governmental  aspect  of  the  Atonement. 

Secondly — A  second  design  ot  the  Atonement  is — 
To  induce  sinful  men  to  accept  its  provisions,  to 
repent  of  their  sins,  and  seek  pardon  of  God.  The 
hard  and  stubborn  hearts  of  men  will  not  readily 
yield  submission  to  the  commands  of  God.  They 
think  of  Him  only  as  a  Sovereign — as  overbearing 
and  tyrannical,  especially  in  the  revelation  of  Himself 
as  one  who  will  pnnish  sin — ' '  who  will  by  no  means 
clear  the  guilty."  Therefore  God  has  opened  to 
them,  in  the  plan  of  Redemption,  His  own  warm 
and  loving  heart,  beating  with  tenderness  and  com- 
passion for  them  even  in  their  sinful  state,  that  thus 
their  stony  hearts  may  be  melted  in  contrition,  and 
be  drawn  in  loving  fellowship  to  Him.  As  our 
Savior  said,  "And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the 
earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  Me. ' '  (John  xii:  32. ) 
This  is  the  Moral  influence  of  the  Atonement. 

Its  primary  design,  therefore,  is  to  render  forgive- 
ness possible;  its  secondary,  to  induce  men  to  accept  it. 


MORAL  EVIL  :    RELATION  TO  REDEMPTION.        195 

H.   THE  ATONEMENT    IN    ITS    RELATIONS    TO    THE 
UNFALLEN   ANGELS. 

In  respect  to  the  work  of  Redemption  also,  the 
Scriptures  clearly  indicate  that  the  angelic  hosts 
have  in  it  a  personal  interest. 

They  "  desire  to  look  into  it"  (i  Pet.  i :  12),  as 
if  bending  over  it  in  wonder  and  admiration,  and 
with  an  anxiety  to  fathom  its  profound  mysteries. 
They  were  present  at  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  their 
exultant  song  was  heard  by  the  shepherds  on  the 
plains  of  Bethlehem,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
on  earth  peace,  good  will  to  men."  (Luke  ii  :  4.) 
They  ministered  to  the  tried  and  tempted  Savior  in 
the  wilderness.  In  the  agony  of  the  Garden,  He 
was  strengthened  by  the  ministering  angel.  They 
were  present  at  His  Resurrection  and  rolled  away 
the  stone  from  the  door  of  the  Sepulcher,  and  are 
ever  engaged  in  loving  ministrations  to  redeemed 
saints  during  their  earthly  pilgrimage.  And  when 
the  earthly  warfare  is  ended  for  them,  and  the  poor, 
afflicted  sons  of  God  have  been  sufficiently  dis- 
ciplined and  purified,  then,  as  they  bore  the  dy- 
ing Lazarus  to  Abraham's  bosom,  they  doubtless 
bear  their  departing  spirits  home  to  the  man- 
sions of  glory — "  The  beggar  died,  and  was  car- 
ried by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom."  (Luke 
xvi :  22.) 

This  absorbing  interest  in  the  entire  plan  of  salva- 
tion, and  especially  their  loving  ministrations  to  re- 
deemed saints,  awaken  the  strongest  conviction  that 


196  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

they  owe  their  confirmation  in  holiness  to  the  in- 
fluence of  redeeming  love  and  mercy. 

A  still  stronger  proof  that  the  Unfallen  Angels 
have  been  kept  in  allegiance  to  God  through  the  in- 
fluence of  Redemption,  is  found  in  that  remarkable 
passage  Bph.  iii :  10:  "To  the  intent  that  now 
unto  the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places , 
might  be  known  by  the  Church  the  manifold  wisdom 
of  God." 

This  passage  is  worthy  of  special  notice.  The 
particular  points  are:  That  the  Plan  of  Redemption, 
in  its  exhibition  of  the  "  manifold  wisdom  of  God," 
is  represented  as  sustaining  vital  relations  to  the  un- 
sinning  hosts  of  heaven.  ' '  The  principalities  and 
powers  in  heavenly  places  " — the  angels  and  arch- 
angels, and  all  the  ranks  of  holy  intelligences  that 
surround  the  throne  of  God — are  the  ones  imme- 
diately affected  by  it. 

Now,  what  God  is  doing  he  always  intended  to 
do  ;  and  so  it  comes  out  that  not  sinful  beings 
merely,  but  loyal  races  were  originally  compre- 
hended in  this  divine  plan  ;  that  it  was  made  as  truly 
for  them  as  for  us,  and  that  they  were  destined  from 
the  beginning  to  share  with  us  in  its  eternal  benefits. 
Not,  of  course,  in  the  same  way  that  we  do,  for  they 
have  not  sinned  as  we  have,  and  do  not  need  for- 
giveness ;  neither  do  they  need  sanctification  as  we 
do,  for  they  are  already  holy.  The  particular  design 
of  the  Atonement  in  its  relations  to  them  is  not  re- 
vealed, and  what  it  is  we  are  left  to  conjecture. 
And  the  most  natural  conjecture  is  that  the  won- 


MORAL  EVIL  I    RELATION  TO  REDEMPTION.        197 

derftd  exhibition  of  affection  which  God  has  made 
in  our  redemption  and  salvation,  is  the  one  indis- 
pensable motive  and  influence  which  has  kept,  and 
will  forever  keep,  them  loyal  to  God. 

Another  passage  in  i  Tim.  iii :  16  is  worthy  of 
notice.  The  Apostle  is  proclaiming  the  wonders 
and  glories  of  the  Incarnation,  "  God  manifest  in 
the  flesh,"  and  among  them  is  this  fact  mentioned, 
that  He  ' '  was  seen  of  angels, ' '  as  though  this  was 
one  of  the  very  important  facts  connected  with  the 
transaction  ;  thus  leaving  the  impression,  already 
mentioned,  that,  in  some  way,  they  sustain  to  it  a 
vital  relation.  He  was  "  seen  of  angels  " — as  if  the 
whole  stupendous  transaction  took  place  under  their 
immediate  inspection ;  the  most  probable  assumption 
being  that  they  owe  to  it  their  confirmation  in  holi- 
ness, enabling  them  thus  to  join  in  the  song  of  the 
redeemed. 

Another  thought  is  suggested.  The  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  make  motives  efficacious,  and 
which  are  an  important  element  in  the  general  plan 
of  the  Atonement,  and  form  a  part  of  it,  being  given, 
as  the  Apostle  expressly  states,  ' '  through  Christ 
Jesus,"  may  possibly  be  used,  to  a  certain  extent, 
in  confirming  them  in  holiness.  While  these  pecu- 
liar influences  of  the  Divine  Spirit  would  find,  very 
likely,  no  appropriate  place  under  a  system  of  mere 
law,  and  could  not,  therefore,  have  been  used  with 
the  fallen  angels,  yet,  now  that  the  majesty  of  God's 
administration  is  fully  sustained  by  the  infinite  pro- 
visions of  Redemption,  no  reason  appears  why, 


198  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

under  it,  the  whole  machinery  of  a  gracious  dispen- 
sation may  not  appropriately  be  used,  to  a  certain 
extent  at  least,  in  confirming  the  angels  in  obedi- 
ence.* 


*  I,et  this  thought  be  extended  in  this  connection.  It  is  possible  that 
the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  may  be  used  in  securing  the  obedience 
of  all  worlds  forever.  Not  perhaps  without  limitation;  for,  to  bring 
into  moral  government  an  extraneous  influence  to  supplement  author- 
ity, and  so  induce  obedience,  is  everywhere  a  dangerous  expedient,  and 
to  be  used  always  with  great  caution;  which  is,  very  likely,  the  reason 
why  no  more  are  saved  in  this  world — these  influences  being  used  to 
the  full  extent  they  safely  can  be.  And  now,  to  how  great  an  extent 
God  may  properly  make  use  of  these  influences  in  securing  the  obedi- 
ence of  newly-created  minds  in  other  worlds,  and  in  all  ages,  we  know 
not;  but  possibly  .to  a  certain  extent;  and  His  plan  may  be  to  bring 
each  world,  as  it  is  peopled,  under  a  gracious  dispensation,  as  the  only 
possible  way  to  save  it  from  apostasy.  In  this  view  every  peopled 
world  is  to  pass  through  an  experiment  of  probation  that  will  need  all 
the  moral  influences  drawn  from  Heaven,  Hell,  and  Cavalry,  and  inten- 
sified by  the  Divine  Spirit,  to  bring  it  up  to  the  requisite  point  of  self- 
denial  and  submission  to  God. 

At  this  point  we  obtain  a  more  comprehensive  view  of  the  original 
design  and  plan  of  the  system  of  Grace  than  is  usually  presented.  In 
the  view  we  are  taking  it  is  aimed  at  securing  this  twofold  result. 

1.  The  remission  of  appropriate  and  necessary  penalty,  and  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  the  salvation  of  sinful  men  without  impairing  the 
perfection  of  government;  and 

2.  Introducing  into  the  moral  system  of  the  universe  the  influence  and 
energy  of  the  sanctifying  Spirit  without  impairing  the  perfection  of 
government,  and  without  whose  influences  not  a  world,  nor  even  an 
individual,  could  be  rescued  from  confirmed  and  hopeless  apostasy. 

In  this  view  the  "ministration  of  the  Spirit"  becomes  "glorious" 
indeed. 

The  relations  of  the  Atonement  to  the  Future 
Universe  will  be  considered  hereafter. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MORAL  EVIL  IN  ITS  FINAL  AND   ETERNAL  ISSUES 
UPON    THE  UNGODLY. 

SEC.   i.     Fundamental  principles  of  Moral  Gov- 
ernment* 

1.  What  is  Moral  Government?    Answer:  The 
influence  of  authority  on  moral  agents,  exercised  by 
a  Moral  Governor  through  the  medium  of  L/aw. 

2.  What  is  Law?    Answer:  A  decisive  rule  of 
action  to  the  subjects  of  government. 

3.  What  is  Authority?     Answer:   The  right  to 
command,  imposing  an  obligation  to  obey. 

4.  What  is  the  evidence  that  God  has  the  right  to 
exercise  this  authority  over  His  universe  ?    Answer: 
That  He  has  shown  the  ability  and  disposition  to 
create  and  sustain  the  best  Moral  Government;  the 
government  that  He  administers  being  the  only  pos- 
sible illustration  of  His  character,    and  the  only 
evidence  of  His  fitness  to  govern. 

5.  In  a  perfect  moral  government,  what  must  the 
Law   demand?    Answer:    Benevolent  action — that 
which  seeks  the  highest  good  of  all.     This  is  the 
highest  and  best  kind  of  action,  because  tending  to 


*  The  following  definitions  are  mainly  notes  of  the  lectures  of  DR.  N. 
W.  TAYLOR,  of  Yale  Theological  Seminary,  taken  during  the  author's 
theological  course. 

199 


200  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

secure  the  highest  and  best  welfare  of  the  universe. 
This  Law  conies  to  us  in  the  form  the  Savior  has 
given  it — ' '  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself, ' '  and  is 
equivalent  to  what  we  term — The  law  of  Universal 
Benevolence.  Obedience  to  this  law  is,  therefore, 
the  best  thing  possible,  and  disobedience  to  it  the 
worst  thing  possible. 

6.  As  the  welfare  or  ruin   of  the    universe    is 
depending  on  obedience  or  disobedience  to  this  law, 
therefore,  this  law  must  be  sustained  by  SanElions 
corresponding  with  its  value.     These  sanctions  are 
natural  good  promised  to  obedience,  and  natural 
evil  threatened  against   disobedience.     These  two 
sanctions  we  term  Reward  and  Penalty,  and  are  the 
only  sanctions  possible,  and  are  absolutely  necessary 
to  sustain  the  majesty  of  the  Law,  and  the  authority 
of  the  Lawgiver. 

7.  As  God  must  have  the  highest  possible  appro- 
bation of  obedience  to  His  law,   and   the  highest 
possible   disapprobation  of  disobedience  to  it,    as 
being  the  best  and  the  worst  things  possible,  so  the 
Sanctions  that  sustain   His  law  must  be  the  full 
expression  or  manifestation  of  this  approbation  or 
disapprobation,  and  must  be,  therefore,  the  highest 
possible  good  promised  to  obedience,  and  the  highest 
possible  evil  threatened  against  disobedience.     Such 
sanctions  would  manifest  to  His  universe  that,  in 
His  estimation,  obedience  was  the  best  thing,  and 
disobedience  the  worst  thing  possible ;  and  this  is 
the  only  way  in  which  such  manifestation  can  be 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  2OI 

made.  He  would  thus  show  his  ability  and  disposi- 
tion to  establish  and  maintain  the  best  moral  govern- 
ment^ and  would  thus  establish  His  authority  as 
Moral  Governor. 

8.  The  highest  possible  good  which  the  Almighty 
can  promise  as  the  reward  of  obedience,  is  His  own 
eternal  and  loving  companionship.  The  Bible 
imagery  of  the  pearly  gates  and  streets  of  gold,  and 
life-giving  streams,  and  mansions  prepared,  is  only 
the  effort  of  Inspiration  to  unfold  to  finite  and  phys- 
ical beings,  in  the  only  way  possible,  viz. :  through 
the  medium  of  familiar  objects,  the  infinite  desirable- 
ness of  Heaven  as  an  eternal  residence  with  God. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  highest  possible  evil  which 
He  can  threaten,  as  the  Penalty  for  disobedience,  is 
eternal  banishment  from  Himself;  and  the  Bible 
imagery  of  the  undying  worm,  the  lake  of  fires,  the 
cry  for  water  to  cool  the  parched  tongue,  is  only  the 
effort  of  Inspiration  to  unfold  to  finite  and  physical 
beings,  in  the  only  way  possible,  viz. :  through  the 
medium  of  familiar  objects,  the  dreadfulness  of  Hell, 
meaning  by  this  imagery  only  the  dreadfulness  of 
this  eternal  banishment  from  God,  and  confinement 
in  the  great  prison-house  of  the  universe.  In  this 
discussion  we  have  only  to  do  with  Penalty. 

[NOTE.  Three  things  need  to  be  noticed  in  this 
connection  respecting  the  nature  of  Penalty. 

i .  Good  promised  as  the  mere  dictate  of  kindness, 
and  evil  inflicted  as  the  mere  dictate  of  unkindness, 
without  reference  to  the  character  of  the  subject, 
cannot  possess  the  nature  of  Legal  Sanctions,  be- 


2O2  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

cause  they  have  no  tendency  to  support  Law ;  and 
even  rather  tend  to  prostrate  it  by  favoritism. 

2.  Evil  inflicted  for  the  purpose  of  reclaiming  the 
offender,  though  often  termed  punishment,  is  not  of 
the  nature  of  Legal  Sanctions.     It  is  only  chastise- 
ment,  which    is  disciplinary,    but  not  penal.      It 
implies,  as  well  as  penalty  does,  that  its  subject  is 
an  offender,  but  it  aims  at  reformation,  which  pen- 
alty never  does.     The  only  object  of  Penalty  proper 
is  to  sustain  the  majesty  of  the  Law  and  the  author- 
ity of  the  Lawgiver,  and  the  machinery  of  moral 
government  generally. 

3.  Reward  and  Penalty  Annexed  to  Law  simply 
as  natural  good  and  evil,  do  not  operate  as  Legal 
Sanctions.     In  the  influence  of  mere  natural  con- 
sequences following  good  and  evil  conduct  there 
is  no  influence  of  authority.     Consequently,  acting 
in  accordance  with  such  influence  alone  is  not  an 
act  of  obedience.     Neither  is  there  any  recognition 
of  a  lawgiver's  will  or  any  regard  for  his  character 
involved.     To  illustrate. 

A  man  commits  wilful  murder,  and  the  jury  de- 
clare it  to  be  such,  and  the  sentence  of  death  is  pro- 
nounced by  the  judge.  The  natural  consequences  of 
the  crime  are  fearful — the  grief  of  the  bereaved 
family,  and  their  loss  of  the  care  and  protection  of 
the  murdered  man.  Then  also  the  shame  and  dis- 
grace brought  on  the  family  of  the  murderer,  and 
the  loss  to  them,  from  his  confinement  and,  per- 
haps, execution,  of  his  companionship  and  pro- 
tection. All  these  are  natural  consequences,  but 


MORAL    EVIL.'    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  203 

form  no  part  of  the  penalty  of  the  crime.  The  real 
penalty  for  the  crime  is  that,  and  that  only,  which 
vindicates  the  majesty  of  the  Law,  and  sustains  the 
authority  of  the  government,  and  is  found  only  in 
the  sentence  of  the  judge,  whatever  that  may  be. 
And  this  sentence,  to  death,  imprisonment,  or  fine, 
is  penalty  proper,  and  no  other  consequence  of  the 
crime  is.  Even  remorse  and  despair,  either  in  this 
world  or  the  next,  can  never  be  regarded  properly 
as  penalty.  They  should  rather  be  designated  as 
only  natural  consequences.  They  are  in  no  sense  the 
direct  infliction  of  the  government  for  violated  law. 

And  here  it  needs  to  be  distinctly  noticed  that  the 
Penalty  of  sin  is  represented,  by  every  writer  in  the 
New  Testament,  as  a  positive  infliftion  of  the 
Almighty,  and  not  at  all  as  a  mere  natural  conse- 
quence. 

Witness  the  preaching  of  John  the  Baptist  in  the 
wilderness:  "  He  will  burn  up  the  chaff  with  un- 
quenchable fire. ' ' 

Our  Savior  is  equally  explicit  :  ' '  Fear  Him 
who  is  able  to  destroy  both  body  and  soul  in  Hell." 

Says  Paul :  ' '  The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed 
from  heaven  in  flaming  fire  taking  vengeance." 
"  Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire." 

Says  Peter :  ' '  God  spared  not  the  angels  that 
sinned,  but  cast  them  down  to  Hell." 

Says  James  :  ' '  There  is  one  Lawgiver  who  is  able 
to  save  and  destroy. ' ' 

Says  Jude:  "Behold  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten 
thousand  of  His  saints  to  execute  judgment." 


204  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Says  John  in  Revelation  :  ' '  The  same  shall  drink 
of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God  which  is  poured 
out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of  His  indigna- 
tion." 

From  these  specimen  quotations  we  see  how  clearly 
and  emphatically  all  the  New  Testament  writers  in- 
sist that  future  punishment  is  inflicted  directly  by 
the  Almighty,  and  not  at  all  in  the  way  of  natural 
consequence.] 

SEC.  2.  The  Doftrine  of  Endless  Punishment  not 
Absurd. 

Said  the  deacon  of  a  prominent  city  church  in  the 
hearing  of  the  writer:  "The  doctrine  of  endless 
punishment  is  intrinsically  absurd."  Such  is  the 
belief  of  multitudes  of  the  members  of  our  evangel- 
ical churches.  But  such  absurdity  can  in  no  way 
be  made  to  appear.  For 

1 .  Sin  has  not  thus  far  been  prevented,  and  for 
some  reason  the  fact  militates  not  at  all  against  the 
benevolence  of  God.     But  the  same  reasons  for  its 
non-prevention  thus  far  may  exist  forever.     No  man 
can  prove  that  they  will  not  thus  exist ;  and  if  they 
should  thus  exist,  then  sin  will  exist  forever,  and  its 
inevitable  and  painful  consequences  be  eternal. 

2.  The  necessities  of  the  moral  system  demand 
\.\i&  present  infliction  of  suffering,  and  no  one  is  compe- 
tent to  say  how  long  these  necessities  may  continue. 
For  aught  any  one  can  prove  to  the  contrary  they 
may  continue  always,  and,  therefore,  suffering  may 
continue  always. 

3.  Every  wicked  man  in  this  world  is  now  resist- 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  205 

ing  the  Almighty,  and  resisting  Him  successfully. 
Why  may  he  not  continue  to  resist  Him?  Who 
knows  when  he  will  cease  resistance,  or  that  it  will 
ever  cease  ?  When  God  creates  a  moral  being  He 
gives  him  the  power  of  resisting  even  His  own  infi- 
nite self,  and  so  long  as  he  retains  the  attributes  of 
a  free,  moral  agent,  so  long  does  he  wield  the  tre- 
mendous power  of  resisting  Omnipotence;  as  said 
Stephen  to  the  wicked  Jews,  "Ye  do  always  resist 
the  Holy  Ghost."  It  is  possible  that  he  will  exert 
this  power  forever.  No  one  can  prove  that  he  will 
not.  And  should  he  maintain  this  position  of  resist- 
ance and  rebellion  his  endless  banishment  from  God 
becomes  certain  and  inevitable. 

4.  To  make  this  matter  more  general  we  are  facing 
an  endless  universe.  Does  any  man  know  enough 
to  make  the  intelligent  assertion  that  mere  temporary 
penalty  will  lay  its  foundations  with  sufficient  sta- 
bility and  security  to  stand  the  strain  of  eternity  ? 
A  finite  creature  of  a  day,  what  knows  he  respecting 
the  necessities  and  exigencies  of  an  endless  universe 
into  which  sin  has  entered,  and  which  it  threatens 
to  defile  forever,  that  he  can  pronounce  with  any 
assurance  as  to  what  may  be  or  may  not  be  neces- 
sary, in  the  way  of  penalty,  to  guide  and  govern  and 
control  it  in  its  endless  progression,  and  especially  to 
arrest  the  progress  of  moral  evil  within  it  ?  In  the 
sweep  of  the  stupendous  possibilities  which  environ 
such  a  universe,  human  conjecture  even  is  weak  and 
insufiicient,  and  human  assertion  folly. 

But  he  who  asserts  the  absurdity  of  endless  pun- 


206  THE   ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

ishment,  assumes  that  he  does  understand,  and  can 
measure  these  tremendous  matters — that  he  knows 
positively  that  some  measure  of  finite  penalty  would 
be  sufficient  to  meet  the  case,  and  keep  a  universe  of 
free  mind  forever  in  subjection  to  law  and  govern- 
ment; when  the  fact  is  he  does  not  know  it,  and  is 
competent  to  make  no  such  assertion.  The  truth  is 
that  in  an  endless  administration  that  sin  is  attempt- 
ing to  overthrow,  endless  penalty  is  possible,  and 
the  bare  possibility  of  it  more  terrific  than  all  the 
other  certainties  of  the  universe. 

5.  But  once  more,  God  does  not  have  things  in 
this  world  as  He  wants  them,  and  He  may  not  here- 
after. He  commands  men  to  be  holy,  and  they  are 
not  holy.  He  commands  them  to  love  Him  supremely , 
and  they  blaspheme  His  holy  name.  He  commands 
them  to  pray,  and  they  never  pray.  He  commands 
them  to  read  His  Word  diligently,  and  to  teach  it  to 
their  children,  and  it  lies  on  the  shelf  unopened.  He 
says  to  them  "  Love  not  the  world,"  and  they  love 
it  and  labor  for  it  as  if  it  were  their  eternal  all.  And 
so  God  does  not  have  things  as  He  wishes  here  in 
this  world ;  and,  notwithstanding  all  His  efforts  to 
the  contrary,  men  keep  on  in  opposition  to  Him  and 
His  commands.  And  they  may  keep  on  thus  in  the 
future  world.  Who  can  prove  that  they  will  not? 
And  if  they  should,  then  their  endless  banishment 
from  His  companionship  becomes  inevitable,  for 
' '  how  can  two  walk  together  except  they  be  agreed  ? ' ' 
The  fact  is  the  connection  between  human  character 
and  human  destiny  is  fundamental,  and  in  our  men- 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  207 

tal  conception  the  two  can  never  be  dissociated.  If 
the  character  is  bad,  the  destiny  must  correspond. 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  the  absurdity  of  the 
doctrine  of  endless  punishment  can  in  no  way  be 
made  to  appear. 

SEC.  3.  The  nature  and  necessities  of  God's  moral 
government  demand  Endless  Punishment  as  the  only 
proper  Penalty  for  Sin. 

This  has  already  been  shown  abstractly  in  the 
foregoing  definition  of  what  constitutes  a  perfect 
moral  government.  It  remains  now  to  show  more 
fully  that  this  Penalty,  dreadful  as  it  is,  is  not  arbi- 
trary— something  that  God  can  threaten  or  not,  as 
He  pleases  ;  but  that  back  of  it  lie  tremendous  and 
inevitable  necessities  in  the  very  nature  and  funda- 
mental principles  of  His  government,  which  demand 
that  He  threaten  and,  if  necessary,  execute  it ;  so 
that,  as  was  said  in  the  introduction,  the  doctrine 
of  Endless  Punishment  rests  on  foundations  as  im- 
movable as  the  throne  of  God. 

i .  The  supposition  of  No  Penalty. 

Suppose  the  Almighty  should  threaten  nothing 
for  the  violation  of  His  Law — that  there  should  be 
no  penalty  annexed  to  the  transgression  of  it. 

Then  what  is  called  Law  would  cease  to  be  law. 
Any  command  unaccompanied  by  sanctions  degener- 
ates into  mere  advice,  and  loses  even  the  nature  of 
law  ;  so  that  in  issuing  His  great  command,  ' '  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
thy  neighbor  as  thyself, ' '  were  there  no  penalty  at- 
tached, God  would  only  advise  and  not  command 


2O8  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

the  obedience  and  affection  of  His  subjects.  He 
would  say  in  effect  that  they  might  obey  His  com- 
mand or  not,  as  they  pleased.  They  might  love  or 
hate  Him,  it  was  all  the  same  to  Him.  He  would 
allow  Himself  to  be  even  treated  with  contempt,  and 
yet  not  notice  it  with  particular  displeasure. 

Also,  He  would  show  that  He  had  but  a  trifling 
regard  for  the  moral  character  of  His  subjects,  and 
cared  but  little  whether  they  were  good,  bad,  or  in- 
different in  character.  They  might  love  or  hate 
each  other,  it  was  all  the  same  to  Him.  They  might 
act  for  the  general  good,  or  sacrifice  to  any  extent 
the  welfare  of  His  universe,  and  still  His  treatment 
of  them  would  be  the  same.  ' '  His  command  to 
them  to  be  holy  would,  indeed,  indicate  somewhat  of  a 
preference  for  holiness,  while  holiness  and  sin  would 
yet  be  matters  of  so  little  moment  with  Him  that  He 
would  make  no  difference  in  His  treatment  of  them. 

' '  What  a  position  this  for  the  God  of  holiness  to 
occupy  before  His  universe  !  He  would  thus  ruin 
His  authority.  Who  would  be  concerned  about 
doing  or  not  doing  the  will  of  another,  from  whom, 
to  say  the  least,  obedience  had  nothing  to  hope  and 
disobedience  nothing  to  fear  ?  Who  would  respect 
His  character  or  His  will  ?  He  would  stand  before 
His  kingdom  convicted  of  indifference  to  obedience, 
and  an  unconcerned  spectator  of  disobedience,  and 
would  thus  tempt  His  subjects  to  war  on  each  other 
and  on  Him,  and  so  defeat  the  great  and  sole  end  of 
moral  government."  Such  would  be  the  necessary 
result  of  no  penalty. 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  2OQ 

2.  No  Penalty  being  inadmissible,  Law  must  evi- 
dently have  some  penalty. 

At  this  point  see  how  Nature  and  the  Bible  har- 
monize? The  Bible  is  full  of  penalty,  from  the 
hreatening  in  Eden,  "Thou  shalt  surely  die," 
down  through  all  the  ' '  curses  ' '  upon  Israel  in  case 
they  rebelled,  coupled  with  the  sweeping  statement, 
He  ' '  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty. ' ' 

Nature  and  Human  experience,  too,  are  as  full  of 
penalty  as  the  Bible  ;  and  the  transgression  of  either 
Natural  or  Moral  Law  is  invariably  followed  by 
painful  consequences.  Penalty  is  everywhere. 

But  the  question  now  is,  What  degree  of  threat- 
ened penalty  will  be  in  harmony  with  the  perfect 
moral  government  of  God  ?  Manifestly  it  must  be 
limited  or  unlimited.  Is  limited  penalty  admissible  ? 

Here  let  it  be  repeated  that  the  character  and 
perfections  of  the  Deity  find  their  fullest  expression 
in  the  government  He  is  administering  and  the 
Law  that  He  enforces. 

Suppose,  then,  that  the  Almighty  should  threaten 
limited  and  temporary  penalty  for  sin. 

(i)  He  would  say  to  His  universe  that  He  had 
only  a  limited  and  inferior  regard  for  Himself — for 
His  own  honor  and  glory  and  worth;  in  short,  that 
He  had  only  a  limited  amount  of  self-respect;  for  the 
penalty  He  threatens  for  sin  against  Himself,  meas- 
ures the  degree  of  His  dislike  of  personal  insult;  and 
if  the  penalty  be  limited,  then  His  abhorrence  of 
personal  insult  is  limited. 

But  this  would  make  Him  untrue  to  His  own 


210  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

greatness  and  glory  and  moral  excellence.  He 
would  even  lower  Himself  in  His  own  estimation, 
for  there  would  be  a  want  of  correspondence  between 
His  own  conscious,  inherent  and  unbounded  excel- 
lence, and  the  inferior  and  untruthful  expression  He 
was  giving  it.  Because  He  does  estimate  Himself 
properly.  He  cares  greatly  how  He  is  treated.  He 
values  Himself  in  exact  accordance  with  His  own  infi- 
nite greatness  and  glpry.  And  this  is  beyond  measure. 
His  self-respect  is  beyond  measure,  and  ought  to  be. 
And  as  His  regard  for  the  affectionate  obedience  of 
His  moral  creatures  transcends  all  finite  expression, 
so  His  abhorrence  of  insult  and  disobedience  and 
rebellion  transcends  all  finite  expression.  He  feels 
most  keenly  any  dishonor  cast  upon  Him.  He  says: 
"  If  I  be  a  Father,  where  is  mine  honor  ?  ' '  And 
the  expression  of  His  law  is  earnest  and  decisive — 
' '  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God. ' '  In  this  view 
the  threatening  of  limited  penalty  is  impossible. 

(2)  He  would  show  a  limited  and  inferior  regard 
for  the  welfare  of  the  endless  universe,  whose  value 
is  beyond  computation  or  measurement. 

God  is  the  responsible  guardian  of  the  uni- 
verse, and  disobedience  to  Him  as  the  rightful 
sovereign,  is  an  attempt  to  overthrow  His  govern- 
ment, and  thus  assails  the  welfare  of  His  entire 
moral  creation. 

We  see  this  exemplified  in  the  workings  of  human 
governments.  How  necessary  to  guard  most  scrup- 
ulously the  honor  and  dignity  of  the  sovereign,  and 
how  clearly  it  is  understood  that  any  dishonor  cast 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  211 

upon  him  is  a  blow  aimed  at  the  welfare  of  the  entire 
kingdom  ! 

So  the  welfare  of  an  endless  universe,  whose  value 
is  limitless,  is  imperilled  by  sin  against  its  great  Sov- 
ereign. And  now  for  the  Almighty  to  threaten  only 
limited  and  temporary  penalty  against  it,  would  show 
a  limited  and  inferior  regard  for  the  welfare  of  a  uni- 
verse stretching  through  the  endless  ages,  and  whose 
interests  and  welfare  are  resting  on  obedience  to 
Himself.  And  this  would  falsify  His  character, 
showing,  as  it  would,  a  false  estimate  of  the  value  of 
His  universe.  And  for  this  reason  also  the  threat- 
ening of  limited  penalty  is  impossible. 

(3)  We  infer  the  impossibility  of  limited  and  tem- 
porary penalty  from  what  would  manifestly  be  its 
practical  results. 

Such  threatening  of  mere  temporary  penalty 
would  tempt  every  sinner  to  continue  in  rebellion 
against  God.  For  with  His  utter  reluctance  to  give 
up  His  own  will  and  way,  and  submit  to  God,  if  he 
can  be  made  to  feel  that  he  can  in  any  way  what- 
ever, by  any  amount  of  suffering,  or  through  any 
experience  in  the  future  world,  come  out  right  in 
the  end,  he  will  dare  the  experiment  of  rebellion. 
For  no  matter  how  severe,  or  how  long  protracted 
his  punishment  may  be,  it  will,  according  to  the 
scheme  of  the  Restorationist,  all  finally  become 
infinitesimal  —  a  mere  nothing  in  comparison  with 
the  succeeding  eternity  of  blessedness — and  the  sin- 
ner will  certainly  dare  it  before  he  will  give  up  his 
own  way  and  submit  to  God.  In  his  contemplation 


212  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

of  the  future  he  will  pass  over  all  the  intermediate 
suffering,  and  fix  his  thought  solely  on  the  final 
blessedness,  and  all  threatenings  against  sin  and 
sinners  will  have  no  weight  with  him  whatever. 

Canon  FARRAR  evidently  sees  this ;  and,  there- 
fore, after  comforting  the  sinner  with  the  hope  of 
final  restoration,  is  careful  to  portray  His  limited 
punishment  in  the  darkest  colors  possible.  But  his 
effort  will  be  a  practical  failure,  for  the  reason  above 
stated — that  if  he  consoles  him  with  the  prospect  of 
eternal  blessedness  at  last,  he  relieves  him  from  all 
further  anxiety. 

CHANNING  also,  in  his  sermon  on  "  The  evil  of 
sin,"  makes  a  similar  effort;  and  which,  so  far  as 
tending  to  secure  the  conversion  of  men  is  concerned, 
is  practically  useless. 

(4)  The  threatening  of  limited  penalty  would 
ruin  the  authority  of  God. 

For  the  penalty  threatened  against  sin  measures 
the  degree  of  His  hatred  of  it ;  and  should  He 
threaten  limited  penalty  He  would  say  to  His  uni- 
verse that  up  to  a  certain  point  He  hated  sin,  and 
beyond  that  His  hatred  ceased.  Therefore  He 
might  hate  sin  somewhat  -more  than  He  did ;  and, 
therefore,  might  be  somewhat  better  than  He  was  ; 
and  therefore,  His  character  might  be  somewhat 
improved;  and,  therefore,  just  now,  He  was  im- 
perfect. And  this  manifest  imperfection  of  character 
would  ruin  His  authority,  and  show  that  He  was 
unfit  to  be  the  Moral  Governor  of  the  universe. 

The  truthful  revelation,  therefore,  of  the  Divine 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  213 

character,  demands  that  the  sanctions  of  God's 
Law  should  be  limitless,  and  that  the  penalty  of 
disobedience  be  eternal  banishment  from  Himself, 
which  is  the  highest  possible  evil,  and  which  is  the 
precise  penalty,  in  the  parable,  visited  upon  those 
on  the  left  hand—"  Depart  from  Me." 

3.  Penalty  must  correspond  with  the  enormity  of 
sin. 

This  principle  is  universally  recognized  in  human 
governments.  Should  the  legislature  enact  a  law 
punishing  wilful  murder  with  only  a  year's  impris- 
onment, the  whole  community  would  cry  out 
against  it.  Neither  life  nor  property  would  be  safe, 
and  human  passions  would  riot  in  unbridled  indulg- 
ence. Men  demand  that  penalty  shall  correspond 
with  the  enormity  of  the  crime. 

But  what  degree  of  penalty  can  measure  the 
enormity  of  sin  as  being  rebellion  against  the  gov- 
ernment of  God,  and  a  refusal  to  obey  Him  ?  It  is 
practically  an  attempt  to  hurl  the  Almighty  from 
His  throne,  and  would  actually  accomplish  it  if  it 
had  the  power,  and  only  fails,  in  this  because  met 
by  His  own  omnipotent  energy.  But  the  nature  of 
sin  remains  the  same,  and  its  character,  enormity 
and  ill-desert  are  to  be  measured,  not  by  what  it 
actually  accomplishes,  but  by  what  it  would  do  if  it 
could.  And  in  this  view  the  enormity  of  sin  is 
beyond  computation  or  measurement,  and  the  pen- 
alty for  its  commission  must  correspond  in  severity. 

4.  Penalty  must  correspond  with  the  mischief  of  sin. 
It  has  been  shown  that  we  are  apparently  facing 


214  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

a  universe  endless  in  duration,  boundless  in  extent, 
and  limitless  in  expansion. 

And,  it  is  such  a  universe,  apparently,  into  which 
sin  has  entered,  and  which  it  is  threatening  to  defile 
with  its  endless  and  increasing  devastations.  At 
this  point  the  magnitude  of  sin,  and  its  desert  of 
punishment,  are  to  be  measured  by  the  mischief  it  is 
liable  to  produce  in  such  a  universe.  So  men  reason, 
and  graduate  penalty  accordingly. 

For  example :  Forgery  is  an  adl  requiring  only 
a  few  seconds,  but  it  touches  the  sacredness  of  a 
name  ;  it  assails  the  great  foundations  of  commerce 
and  business,  and,  if  not  followed  by  appropriate 
penalty,  would  destroy  commercial  integrity,  break 
up  the  confidence  of  men  in  each  other,  and  render 
the  prosecution  of  honorable  business  impossible. 
It  is,  therefore,  visited  with  a  penalty  correspond- 
ingly severe. 

To  fire  a  dwelling  requires  no  longer  time  than 
forgery,  but  it  is  regarded  as  a  far  greater  crime  in 
that  it  endangers  not  only  property  but  life,  and 
the  penalty  is  made  to  correspond  in  severity. 

Now  we  carry  this  same  principle  into  the  govern- 
ment of  God,  and  estimate  sin  by  the  unbounded 
interest  and  welfare  of  the  endless  universe  it  as- 
sails. We  ask  what  limit  there  is  or  can  be  to  the 
mischief  of  sin  in  such  a  universe  ?  It  assails  the 
infinite  interests  and  welfare  of  a  universe  to  all  ap- 
pearance, stretching  through  the  endless  ages,  and 
doubtless  eternally  expanding  ;  and  if  not  arrested 
in  its  career,  would  prevail  in  it  forever,  and  extend 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  215 

its  malign  influence  until  it  had  rendered  the  entire 
universe  one  scene  of  utter  and  endless  desolation. 
Its  mischief,  therefore,  if  uncounteracted  by  penalt}% 
would  be  limitless,  and  the  punishment  of  it  must 
be  made  to  correspond. 

5.  Penalty  in  its  relations  to  the  sacredness  andvaliie 
of  God's  Law. 

The  Law  of  God  is  comprehended  in  two  particu- 
lars :  ' '  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  (Luke 
x :  27.) 

Notice  the  extent  of  its  application.  It  is  not 
made  for  this  world  merely.  No  moral  being  can 
be  created  who  will  not,  with  the  first  dawn  of  re- 
sponsibility, come  under  obligation  to  obey  it.  No 
world  will  ever  be  peopled  to  which  it  will  not  be 
extended  with  the  same  clearness  and  binding  au- 
thority as  here ;  and  should  the  material  universe 
go  on  expanding  externally,  even  till  the  suns  and 
systems  of  immensity,  now  in  being,  become  as 
nothing  in  comparison,  and  all  be  crowded  with 
free,  intelligent  beings,  this  one  Law  would  govern 
all  and  protect  all ;  and  so,  in  the  extent  of  its  ap- 
plication, be  as  unlimited  as  an  eternally  expanding 
universe.  No  limit,  therefore,  can  be  set  to  the 
value  and  importance  of  God's  Law,  seeing,  in  the 
view  we  are  taking,  that  it  is  all  that  protects  a 
universe  expanding  throughout  the  endless  ages, 
and  binds  it  to  God  and  holiness  and  happiness. 

But  Law  can  only  be  sustained  by  penalty.  In- 
deed, penalty  annexed  is  what  creates  law — that  is, 


2l6  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

as  we  have  seen,  makes  it  law  in  distinction  from 
mere  advice ;  and  this  penalty,  in  a  perfect,  moral 
government,  must  be  appropriate  penalty  ;  and  what 
then  shall  be  the  limit  of  the  penalty  that  sustains 
the  infinite  I,aw  of  the  Infinite  Jehovah,  and  whose 
value  and  importance,  in  its  relations  to  the  uni- 
verse, are  beyond  all  computation  or  measurement  ? 
Plainly  the  penalty  that  sustains  such  a  law  must 
correspond  with  it,  and  be  itself  limitless. 

6.  It  would  seem  that  there  must  be  a  correspond- 
ence between  the  appropriate  reward  of  obedience 
and  the  appropriate  penalty  for  disobedience. 

All  are  willing  to  concede  that  the  appropriate 
reward  of  obedience  to  God  should  be  unlimited 
good,  but  all  are  not  willing  to  concede  that  the 
penalty  for  disobedience  should  be  unlimited  evil. 

But  is  not  one  as  appropriate  as  the  other  ?  And 
why  should  there  not  be  an  exaEl  correspondence 
between  them  ?  As  we  have  seen,  the  reward  prom- 
ised to  obedience  to  God  must  correspond  perfectly 
with  the  mighty  meaning  and  import  of  obedience 
to  the  commands  of  the  Infinite  Jehovah,  and  with 
the  value  of  obedience  in  an  endless  universe.  And 
no  limited  reward  could  adequately  express  God's 
approval  of  such  obedience,  or  the  obligation  of 
obedience  to  such  a  being,  or  the  value  of  obedience 
in  such  a  universe. 

But  this  reasoning  applies  with  equal  closeness  to 
the  opposite  sanction  of  penalty.  The  mischief  and 
misery  of  sin  in  such  a  universe  are,  as  we  have 
seen,  limitless — beyond  all  computation  or  measure- 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  217 

ment,  and  the  penalty  threatened  should  correspond 
with  the  reward  promised;  and  if  reward  be  unlim- 
ited, so  should  penalty  be  unlimited,  and  there  is 
no  logical  escape,  at  this  point,  from  the  conclusion 
that  limited  and  temporary  penalty  annexed  to  the 
transgression  of  God' s  law  would  be  inharmonious 
and  impossible;  and  in  this  view  endless  punish- 
ment becomes  certain  and  inevitable.  We  see, 
therefore,  that  at  every  point  the  perfection  of  the 
divine  government  requires  endless  penalty  as  the 
only  proper  and  necessary  punishment  of  sin. 

SEC.  4.  The  Harmony  of  the  Divine  Administra- 
tion Necessitates  Endless  Punishment. 

It  appears  from  what  has  already  been  said  that 
God  is  building  a  vast  moral  edifice,  and,  as  a  wise 
master-builder,  will  certainly  so  construe!  it  as  that 
it  shall  be  perfectly  harmonious  in  all  its  parts  and 
proportions. 

Here  we  notice  that  everything  appertaining  to 
this  moral  edifice  is  limitless  and  endless.  The  God 
that  builds  it  is  endless.  The  system  itself  is  end- 
less. The  law  that  protects  it  is  endless.  The 
reward  of  obedience  is  endless.  The  great  atone- 
ment of  Jesus  Christ  is  unlimited  both  in  its  nature 
and  relations.  And  how,  then,  can  the  penalty  for 
sin  be  limited  and  finite  without  becoming  at  once 
inharmonious  and  inconsistent?  The  fact  is  the 
four  great  pillars  upon  which  the  divine  administra- 
tion rests — Law,  Reward,  Penalty,  and  the  Atone- 
ment— each  and  all  of  them  reach  into  the  infinite, 
all  towering  harmoniously  together;  and  to  shrink 


2l8  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

any  one  of  them  to  the  dimensions  of  the  finite  is  to 
make  it  at  once  inharmonious,  inconsistent,  and 
impossible. 

The  harmony,  therefore,  of  the  vast  moral  edifice 
which  God  is  building  demands  endless  penalty  as 
the  only  proper  sanction  of  the  divine  law,  and  ren- 
ders the  execution  of  it  at  last  upon  all  the  finally 
impenitent  absolutely  essential  to  its  perfection. 

SEC.  5.     Penalty  in  its  Relation  to  the  Atonement. 

To  those  who  accept  the  evangelical  system  the 
plan  of  redemption  through  Christ  Jesus  as  pre- 
sented in  the  Scripture,  clearly  indicates  an  infinite 
provision  for  the  pardon  of  the  sinner. 

For  example — in  the  Scripture  representation  we 
have  the  Almighty  Savior,  ' '  God  manifest  in  the 
flesh,"  "  the  Maker  of  all  worlds,"  "  One  with  the 
Father, "  "the  First  and  the  Last, "  "  offering  Him- 
self through  the  Eternal  Spirit,"  ' '  bringing  in  ever- 
lasting righteousness, "  "  proclaiming  an  everlasting 
Gospel,"  even  "the  glorious  Gospel  of  the  blessed 
God. ' '  And  in  Revelation,  John  ' '  heard  the  voice 
of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and  the 
number  of  them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thou- 
sand, and  thousands  of  thousands,  saying  with  a 
loud  voice,  WORTHY  is  THE  LAMB  THAT  WAS 
SLAIN." 

Now,  why  such  mighty  provisions  of  grace  ;  why 
the  suffering  and  death  of  such  a  Mighty  Being ; 
why  such  an  infinite  sacrifice  for  the  bestowment  of 
mercy  ?  Only  because  the  obstacles  to  pardon  are 
such  as  could  in  no  way  be  removed  by  any  finite 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  219 

provision,  much  less  by  the  mere  sufferings  of  the 
sinner.  How  could  any  amount  of  temporary  suf- 
fering by  the  sinner  repair  the  broken  law  of  the 
Great  Jehovah,  balance  the  insult  to  His  Majesty, 
and  counteract  the  influence  of  his  wicked  exam- 
ple? Only  through  an  infinite  atonement  could 
these  evils  be  met,  and  God  be  able  safely  and  con- 
sistently to  take  back  the  sinner  to  his  forfeited 
favor. 

And  all  this  was  fully  understood  and  recognized 
by  the  Almighty  when  setting  up  that  great  pillar 
of  His  administration — salvation  for  the  sinful.  Noth- 
ing but  a  limitless  provision  could  balance,  in  His 
estimation,  the  tremendous  guilt  of  transgression 
and  take  the  place  of  its  appropriate  penalty,  and 
still  be  in  harmony  with  the  entire  system.  And, 
therefore,  the  only  possibility  of  pardon  is  revealed 
in  the  Bible  in  that  wonderful  and  mysterious  plan 
by  which  God  has  subjected  Himself  to  suffering  in 
the  person  of  His  only  and  well-beloved  Son — ' '  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh  " — and  thus  made  Himself  ' '  an 
offering  for  sin."  In  the  person  of  Jesus  He  has 
honored  His  own  most  righteous  law  and  submitted 
to  its  requirements,  even  "unto  death;"  and  by 
this  fearful  sacrifice  so  held  it  up  before  His  subjects 
inviolate — in  its  entire  sanctity  and  awful  majesty — 
as  to  show  for  it  a  greater  regard,  and  make  upon 
the  universe  a  profounder  impression  of  its  sacred- 
ness  than  if  He  had  laid  an  endless  penalty  for  its 
violation  upon  every  transgressor. 

In  a  word,  He  has  by  this  grand  expedient  so 


220  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

fortified  the  foundations  of  His  perfe<5l  government 
that  He  can  safely  forgive — "  that  He  might  \>e.just 
and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus'' 
(Rom.  iii :  26.) 

Therefore,  by  this  infinite  sacrifice,  He  asserts  the 
impossibility  of  pardon  by  any  limited  and  inferior 
provision,  and  that  this  great  plan  of  mercy  is  a 
provision  for  saving  the  sinner  from  hopeless  and 
unending  retribution — an  infinite  provision  for  the 
remission  of  an  infinite  penalty — "That  we  might 
be  saved  from  wrath  through  Him.''1  (Rom.  v  :  9.) 

On  the  other  hand,  only  assume  that  the  ruinous 
effect  of  sin  upon  the  individual  and  the  universe, 
could  be  arrested  by  the  finite  suffering  of  the  sin- 
ner, and  no  reason  appears  for  an  Almighty  Savior. 
In  that  case  sin  is  no  great  matter,  and  the  wrath  of 
God  is  no  great  matter,  for  there  would  still  be  for 
the  sinner  an  eternity  of  blessedness  beyond  these, 
in  comparison  with  which  any  amount  of  finite  pen- 
alty would  at  length  become  absolutely  nothing; 
and  the  sinner,  having  by  the  endurance  of  tempo- 
rary penalty  delivered  himself  from  the  power  of 
sin,  paid  his  own  debts,  and  well  and  truly  dis- 
charged all  his  obligations,  could  then  claim  an  eter- 
nity of  happiness,  and  an  admission  to  the  entire 
confidence  and  fellowship  of  Jehovah. 

Therefore,  also,  the  man  would,  in  that  case,  be 
washed  clean  in  the  blood  of  his  own  sufferings,  and 
would  need  no  Savior,  and  no  provisions  of  grace. 
And  thus  from  this  low  and  insufficient  standpoint 
of  temporary  penalty  the  L,ord  Jesus  would  be 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  221 

degraded  to  a  mere  creature,  redemption  have  no 
adequate  meaning,  the  great  atonement  become 
unnecessary,  and  ' '  the  glorious  Gospel  of  the 
blessed  God" — the  grand  scheme  of  salvation  for 
lost  sinners — become  a  fable  and  a  myth.  All  this 
utter  degradation  of  the  Gospel  and  the  Savior  flows 
logically  and  necessarily  from  the  single  assumption 
of  limited  and  temporary  penalty. 

In  the  light  of  these  considerations  Christian 
men,  at  least,  will  see  that  this  view  subverts  the 
very  foundations  of  Christian  faith  and  is  wholly 
inadmissible,  and  that  they  are  shut  up  to  the  only 
remaining  assumption — that  the  appropriate  penalty 
of  sin  must  be  endless. 

The  fact  is  that  the  doctrine  of  endless  punish- 
ment, and  the  doctrine  of  atonement  through  an 
Infinite  Savior,  must  stand  or  fall  together.  There 
is  no  need  of  such  a  sacrifice  for  the  remission  of 
temporary  penalty.  From  the  evangelical  view  of 
the  atonement,  therefore,  the  doctrine  of  endless 
punishment,  as  the  appropriate  and  necessary  pen- 
alty for  transgression,  becomes  certain  and  inevitable. 

SEC.  6.  All  possible  efforts  to  save  men  are  tried  in 
this  world. 

Here  we  turn  to  the  Bible. 

The  threefold  instrumentality  which  God  is  using 
with  the  most  effective  power  for  human  salvation 
is  the  appeal  to  fear  and  affection,  accompanied  by 
the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  nothing  in 
the  future  world  can  exceed  this  in  effectiveness,  for 
it  is  the  most  effective  which  the  universe  can  furnish. 


222  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

i.  Take  the  appeal  to  affeftion.  Is  there  any 
better  kind  of  effort  or  instrumentality  than  this? 
anything  more  powerful  or  efficient — better  adapted 
to  lead  a  man  to  give  up  sin  and  choose  holiness  ? 
If  so,  what  ?  We  know  of  none.  The  Restora- 
tionist  knows  of  none.  And  this  is  the  exact  ap- 
peal which  God  is  now  making  in  the  whole  grand 
scheme  of  redemption ;  and  he  is  seeking  in  this 
way  to  give  expression  to  his  own  infinite  affeElion 
for  this  sinful  world,  in  order  to  win  its  love  in 
return. 

Notice  what  He  says  in  John  iii :  16  :  "  God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  Also,  i  John 
iv :  10  :  "Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God, 
but  that  He  loved 'us ',  and  sent  His  Son  to  be  the  pro- 
pitiation for  our  sins. ' ' 

Notice  again  that  the  Savior  Himself  is  declared 
to  have  come  on  this  errand  of  mercy  to  the  sinful 
from  affeElion  :  ' '  Christ  also  hath  loved  us,  and  hath 
given  Himself  for  us."  (Eph.  v  :  2.)  And  the 
Apostle,  in  Ephesians  iii :  19,  speaks  of  "  the  love 
of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge. ' ' 

Now,  the  point  is  that  there  is  no  other  kind  of 
influence  or  instrumentality  for  drawing  moral 
beings  to  God  superior  to  this.  Even  the  whole 
universe  cannot  furnish  an  influence  equal  to  it.  It 
is  absolutely  the  mightiest  power  in  existence  to 
move  a  moral  being  to  right  action.  Does  the 
Restorationist  deny  this?  Then  let  him  mention 


MORAL   EVIL:    ITS   FINAL   ISSUES.  223 

one  more  powerful.  He  cannot.  And,  therefore, 
the  conclusion  is  inevitable,  and  he  should  so  re- 
ceive it,  that  the  Divine  resources  in  respect  to  the 
kind  of  influence  that  will  draw  men  in  loving  obe- 
dience to  God  are  utterly  exhausted  in  this  world, 
When  God  has  shown  His  own  loving  heart  to  men 
in  the  gift  of  His  Son,  and  Jesus  has  shown  His 
own  infinite  affection  by  dying  for  them,  no  other 
influence  hereafter  can  transcend  this  as  a  moving 
power  upon  moral  beings  for  their  reformation  and 
salvation. 

Now,  secondly,  how  about  the  degree  of  this 
affedlion  ?  It  has  been  shown  that  there  is  no  bet- 
ter kind  of  influence .  than  this  ;  but  possibly  it  is 
lacking  in  degree.  There  may  have  been  here  in 
this  world  a  half-heartedness  about  it,  and  some  im- 
provement in  this  respect  may  be  possible  hereafter; 
so  that  if  this  affection  should  only  be  intensified  in 
degree,  the  reformation  of  the  sinner  in  the  future 
world  would  certainly  follow  it.  How  is  this? 
Here  notice  that  in  providing  this  scheme  of  re- 
demption for  fallen  man  the  affedlion  of  the  Al- 
mighty has  had  its  mightiest  possible  exercise  and 
expression.  He  gave  His  own  Son  to  sufferings 
and  death,  even  the  agony  of  the  Crucifixion.  Yea, 
more,  His  "well-beloved  Son  "—the  very  dearest 
object  of  affection  which  He  had  to  give.  Yea, 
more,  his  only  Son — no  other  one  to  give.  And, 
therefore,  no  greater  proof  or  expression  of  affection 
is  possible — nothing  beyond  it.  It  was  the  expres- 
sion of  infinite  affedlion,  in  the  very  nature  of  the 


224  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

case  impossible  to  be  increased  in  intensity.  The 
point  is  that  God  has  loved  this  sinful  world  with 
the  whole  strength  of  His  infinite  nature,  even  all 
He  could  love  it.  He  has  exhausted  Himself — His 
own  infinite  self — in  His  love  for  men,  and  there  is 
no  possible  depth  or  strength  of  affection  beyond  it. 
He  has  loved  men  in  this  world  all  He  can  love  them 
hereafter. 

How,  in  the  next  place,  about  the  manifestation 
of  this  affection?  Perhaps  there  has  been  some- 
thing lacking  at  this  point,  so  that  the  expressive- 
ness of  manifestation  can  be  hereafter  in  some  way 
increased,  and  so  wicked  men  be  led  by  it  to  give 
up  sin  in  the  future  world.  How  is  this  ? 

Here  notice  the  pains  God  was  at  in  the  work  of 
preparation,  to  make  this  manifestation  the  most  in- 
fluential possible.  All  the  prophecies  of  the  Old 
Testament  for  hundreds  of  years  were  made  to  point 
forward  to  Christ  as  the  great  central  figure  of  the 
future.  Almost  the  entire  Mosaic  ritual  was  de- 
signed to  prefigure  him,  and  to  explain  to  men  the 
nature  and  object  of  His  mission.  The  New  Testa- 
ment is  almost  entirely  taken  up  with  the  unfolding 
of  His  character  and  the  record  of  His  ministry. 
What  is  there  lacking  at  this  point  ?  How  can  its 
expressiveness  be  increased  ?  Again — 

Could  His  mission  to  the  world  be  any  more 
clearly  stated  than  it  is  ?  Says  Christ  himself  (Luke 
xix  :  10) :  "The  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to 
save  that  which  was  lost. ' '  And  the  Apostle  speaks 
of  it  in  i  Timothy  i  :  15,  thus,  "This  is  a  faithful 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  225 

saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus 
Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners. ' '  Can  it 
be  any  more  clearly  stated  ? 

Could  His  character  be  portrayed  in  more  at- 
tractive and  winning  traits  than  it  is  ?  He  is  ' '  meek 
and  lowly  in  heart, ' '  the  Friend  of  sinners,  comfort- 
ing the  mourners,  weeping  with  the  sorrowful, 
and  even  in  His  last  agony  praying  for  His  mur- 
derers. The  prophet  Isaiah,  in  that  wonderful 
fifty-third  chapter,  looking  forward  in  vision,  thus 
describes  Him  as  He  would  be  :  "A  man  of  sor- 
rows, and  acquainted  with  grief  ;  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities  ; ' '  op- 
pressed and  afflicted,  yet  opening  not  His  mouth ; 
' '  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep 
before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  He  openeth  not  His 
mouth."  And  see,  too,  His  infinite  tenderness  in 
Isaiah  xlii  :  3,  quoted  also  in  Matthew  xii :  20  :  "A 
bruised  reed  shall  He  not  break,  and  smoking  flax 
shall  He  not  quench. ' '  Can  a  more  lovely  and  at- 
tractive character  be  portrayed  ? 

Could  any  mightier  works  attest  His  divine  mis- 
sion than  those  which  He  wrought — raising  the 
dead,  cleansing  the  lepers,  stilling  the  tempest  with 
a  word,  and  feeding  the  thousands  in  the  wilderness 
with  a  few  loaves  and  fishes?  We  can  think  of 
none. 

Could  His  teachings  and  instructions  be  improved  ? 
Was  any  truth  left  unsaid  which  would  have  a  ten- 
dency to  save  men  ?  Were  any  necessary  directions 
omitted?  Were  any  disclosures  of  the  past,  the 


226  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

present,  or  the  future,  withheld,  which  would  have 
been  better  calculated  to  move  men  to  repentance 
and  reformation  ?  Was  there  any  lack  of  faithful- 
ness in  warning,  tenderness  in  pleading,  or  earnest- 
ness in  persuasion  ?  Was  there  any  lack  of  kind- 
ness and  love  and  compassion  in  any  or  all  the 
manifestations  of  His  character,  His  teachings,  or 
His  works  ?  But  one  answer  can  be  given  to  these 
questions  by  any  one  familiar  with  the  New  Testa- 
ment. No  one  is  able  to  suggest  the  least  addition 
or  change  of  any  kind  which  would  increase  the 
effectiveness  of  His  mission.  It  was  dictated  by 
tender  love,  by  infinite  affection  for  lost  sinners ; 
and  why  should  not  that  affection  have  had  the 
fullest  expression,  and  have  always  worked  out 
itself  to  the  utmost?  Why  should  any  change  be 
possible,  and  at  the  same  time  advantageous  ? 

Notice,  furthermore,  that  the  very  object  of  His 
mission  was  to  rescue  men  from  sin.  He  says  of 
Himself  (L,uke  xix:  10) :  ' '  The  Son  of  man  is  come  to 
seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost. ' '  He  came  on 
purpose  for  this.  He  came  on  purpose  to  reform 
men.  He  suffered  and  died  for  this.  Now  is  it 
supposable  that  He  would  omit  any  instrumentality 
which  might  be  made  effective  for  this?  Why 
should  he  ?  If  His  mission  was  to  reform  and  save, 
why  should  He  prosecute  it  with  half-heartedness, 
and  leave  out  instrumentalities  which  might  be  suc- 
cessfully employed?  Why  omit  anything?  The 
supposition  that  He  did  would  be  inexplicable.  It 
would  convict  Him  of  unfaithfulness  to  His  mission 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  227 

— to  the  trust  reposed  in  Him — to  the  work  God 
sent  him  to  do. 

Therefore  we  are  bound  to  believe,  on  common- 
sense  principles,  that  when  He  came  on  purpose  to 
save  sinners,  He  did  the  best  that  could  be  done.  We 
should  expect  this  from  an  ordinary  man  of  ordin- 
ary honesty  and  faithfulness;  how  much  more  from 
the  infinite  Savior  !  But  if  the  best  is  done  on  earth, 
then  nothing  remains  that  He  can  employ  any  more 
successfully  hereafter. 

2.  Thus  far  we  have  been  considering  the  appeal 
to  affeftion.  Take  now  the  appeal  to  fear.  Can 
this  be  increased  in  terribleness,  or  made  apparently 
in  any  way  more  influential  than  it  is  to  deter  from 
sin  ?  Can  Divine  judgments  upon  daring  transgres- 
sors be  any  more  swift  and  terrible — the  sinning 
angels  cast  down  to  hell;  the  wicked  world  drowned 
by  the  deluge  ;  the  rain  of  fire  and  brimstone  upon 
the  cities  of  the  plain  ;  the  earth  opening  her  mouth 
and  closing  it  upon  Dathan  and  Abiram  for  their 
impiety;  the  wholesale  destruction  of  seven  nations 
in  the  land  of  Canaan  by  the  sword  and  by  the 
hailstones  from  heaven  for  their  wickedness  ?  Can 
any  thing  go  beyond  this  in  promptness  and  ter- 
ribleness of  execution  ? 

Can  God's  personal  attitude  toward  sinners  be 
portrayed  with  greater  terribleness  than  it  is  in 
Psalm  xi:6 — "Upon  the  wicked  he  shall  rain 
snares,  fire,  and  brimstone,  and  a  horrible  tempest ; 
this  shall  be  the  portion  of  their  cup  ? "  Or  this, 
2  Thessalonians  1:7,  8:  "The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be 


228  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

revealed  from  Heaven  with  His  mighty  angels,  in 
flaming  fire  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not 
God,  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  ? ' '  Also,  that  solemn  warning  of  Jesus 
Himself  in  Luke  xii :  5,  already  quoted:  "Fear 
Him,  which  after  He  hath  killed  hath  power  to  cast 
into  hell;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  Fear  Him!  " 

Can  any  more  fearful  imagery  be  conceived  than 
that  which  God  uses  to  depidl  the  final  consequences 
of  sin — the  undying  worm,  the  lake  of  fire,  the 
' '  gnawing  of  their  tongues  for  pain, ' '  the  cry  for 
but  a  single  drop  of  water  to  cool  the  parched 
tongue,  and  even  this  denied?  Is  not  this  an 
aggregate  of  pictured  horror  to  deter  from  sin  that 
cannot  be  surpassed  ?  Let  the  Restorationist  him- 
self endeavor  to  increase  its  terribleness  by  adding 
something  to  it,  and  he  will  find  at  once  how  vain 
the  effort. 

3.  Now,  once  more,  can  any  mightier  agency  be 
employed  to  give  efficacy  in  the  human  soul  to  all 
this  moral  machinery  than  the  Holy  Spirit  ? 

His  office- work,  as  the  Savior  says,  is  to  deal 
with  the  conscience  of  the  world  upon  this  very 
matter  of  salvation  from  sin.  He  says  in  John  xvi: 
8,  "When  He  [the  Spirit  of  truth]  is  come,  He 
will  convince  the  world  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness, 
and  of  judgment;"  of  sin,  as  that  by  which  they 
have  forfeited  the  favor  of  God;  of  righteousness,  as 
that  which  opens  for  them  the  great  plan  of  salva- 
tion from  it;  of  judgment,  as  the  final  and  dreadful 
penalty  for  rejecting  this  salvation.  And  the  Spirit, 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  22Q 

it  is  believed,  is  dealing  with  the  conscience  of  the 
entire  world  upon  these  tremendous  matters,  as  is 
evident  from  the  peculiar  phraseology  of  the  pas- 
sage, ' '  He  shall  reprove  [or  convince]  the  world  of 
sin."  (Jno.  xvi :  8.) 

Now  the  point  is,  can  any  mightier  agency  be 
employed  hereafter  to  make  these  appeals  to  fear 
and  affection  more  efficacious  in  the  direction  of 
saving  men  ?  The  question  needs  only  to  be  asked, 
for  He  is  the  omnipotent  Spirit  of  God.  It  is  God 
Himself,  the  third  person  in  the  Trinity,  working 
directly  in  the  souls  of  men  for  their  conversion 
and  reformation,  and  there  is  no  power  beyond  it. 

Now  conies  up  the  great  question  we  are  discuss- 
ing: Can  any  thing  more  be  done  anywhere  in 
God's  universe,  or  at  any  future  time,  over  and 
above  what  God  has  already  done  and  is  doing,  to 
reform  human  character  ?  And  the  answer  unhesi- 
tatingly is,  No;  for  God  Himself  has  so  declared  it. 
Planting  Himself,  as  it  were,  on  these  entire  work- 
ings of  His  providence  and  grace  and  Spirit,  He 
declares,  in  Isaiah  v :  4,  "  What  could  have  been 
done  more  to  my  vineyard  that  I  have  not  done  in 
it  ?  "  plainly  teaching  in  this  that  He  had  done  the 
best  that  could  be  done  to  save  men,  and  thus  as 
plainly  asserting  that  the  very  resources  of  Omnipo- 
tence had  been  exhausted  in  this  world  in  the  work 
of  human  salvation;  and  if  exhausted  in  this  world, 
what  is  there  left  for  the  next  ? 

SEC.  7.  All  the  probable  surroundings  of  the  sinner 
after  death  are  adverse  to  the  doftrine  of  his  Restoration. 


230  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

What  will  be  those  surroundings  ?  His  earthly 
life  having  been  one  of  prayerlessness  and  impeni- 
tence, he  must  appear  in  the  future  world  an  impeni- 
tent, unhumbled,  unforgiven  sinner,  and  his  sur- 
roundings must  correspond;  for  to  assume  that  one 
with  a  sinful  character  will  pass  at  once  into  those 
surroundings  and  associations  appropriate  only  to  a 
holy  character,  is  against  common  sense.  Looking 
over  these  we  shall  see  that  everything  indicates  the 
probable  inferiority  of  his  future  state  to  that  of  his 
earthly  one  for  securing  salvation.  For  notice — 

He  cannot  have  the  society  of  the  holy.  To  put 
him  at  once  into  their  company  with  no  change  of 
character  would  only  be  to  annoy  them  with  the 
constant  sight  and  contact  of  sin,  making  Heaven 
for  them  an  undesirable  residence,  and  no  improve- 
ment on  the  wicked  associations  they  left  on  earth. 

It  would  also  be  a  companionship  as  uncongenial 
and  loathsome  to  him  as  to  them.  Moral  beings 
must  seek  congenial  companionship  by  the  very  law 
of  their  natures.  The  ungodly  and  the  godly  dis- 
like each  other,  and  are  repelled  from  each  other  by 
mutual  antagonism  of  character,  and  seek  only 
those  who  are  like  themselves. 

Moreover,  the  place  adapted  to  the  wicked  cannot 
be  adapted  to  the  holy,  for  the  holy  need  no  more 
either  suffering  or  discipline  for  the  perfecting  of 
character;  and,  therefore,  as  the  wicked  must  be 
separated  from  them,  their  warnings,  instructions, 
and  entreaties,  and  their  godly  example,  will  no 
longer  influence. 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  231 

Notice  also — He  will  no  longer  enjoy  the  means 
of  grace — prayers,  sabbaths,  sacraments,  the  Bible, 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  means  of 
grace  generally,  belonging  to  the  earthly  probation. 
Shall  they  be  introduced  into  the  future  world  ?  But 
why?  They  were  tried  faithfully  on  earth,  and 
were  coldly  and  contemptuously  rejected.  Why 
should  they  be  tried  again  ?  And  suppose  them  to 
be  introduced  into  the  future  world,  who  would 
sustain  them  f  The  righteous  no  longer  need 
them ;  they  have  entered  on  their  heavenly  ex- 
perience. Will  the  wicked  sustain  that  which  they 
loathe? 

Notice  again — The  soothing  influence  of  family 
ties,  and  the  power  of  human  affection  in  kindling 
the  sensibilities,  softening  the  heart,  and  drawing  it 
outward  and  upward,  will  be  no  longer  felt.  These 
belonged  to  the  earthly  state,  and  were  a  part  of  the 
great  moral  and  social  machinery  which  God  set  in 
operation  in  this  world  to  reach  and  influence  the 
hard  heart,  and  draw  it  to  Himself.  But  this  influ- 
ence, having  been  fully  and  faithfully  tried  on 
earth,  and  having  failed  to  renovate,  no  reason 
appears  why  it  should  be  tried  again. 

Also,  the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  will  cease. 
His  gracious  operations  were  exerted  to  the  utmost 
on  earth.  He  "  convinced  the  world  of  sin."  (John 
xvi  :  8.)  But  only  the  righteous  were  led  by  Him 
to  purity  and  holiness.  All  others  resisted  His 
efforts  for  their  salvation.  Were  the  opportunity 
given  they  would  resist  them  again,  and  bring  on 


232  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

themselves  a  correspondingly  aggravated  condemna- 
tion; and,  therefore,  they  will  be  tried  no  more.* 

Once  more — The  society  of  the  sinner  will  necessa- 
rily be  that  of  the  wicked  who,  like  himself,  are 
meeting  the  proper  consequences  of  their  sin;  and 
their  influence  upon  him,  like  that  of  the  felons  in 
our  state  prisons,  can  only  be  to  confirm  him  in 
impenitence. 

We  find  no  elements,  therefore,  in  the  probable 
condition  after  death  of  the  one  who  has  died  in 
impenitence,  which  are  any  improvement  on  the 
earthly  state,  or  adapted  in  any  way  to  break  up 
sinful  habits,  while  they  all  seem  adapted  rather  to 
confirm  them.  His  earthly  state  God  arranged  with 
prime  reference  to  his  repentance  and  salvation,  and 
made  it  the  best  possible;  but  he  would  not  profit 
by  it,  and  clung,  with  the  very  frenzy  of  despera- 
tion, to  his  sinful  indulgence.  And  now,  when  pro- 
bation is  ended,  and  means  of  grace  have  ceased, 


*  Some  hold  that  probation  after  death  is  taught  in  i  Pet^iii  :  19,  but 
the  evidence  is  very  inconclusive. 

1.  The  mass  of  commentators  explain  the  passage  satisfactorily  with- 
out any  such  interpretation. 

2.  It  is  impossible  to  see  any  reason  why  the  Gospel   should  be 
preached  to  the  antediluvious  particularly.    Why  not  to  other  sinners? 

3.  There  is  no  evidence  that  if  Christ  did  visit  Hades  with  the  procla- 
mation of  pardon,  that  any  accepted  it. 

4.  If  He  did  go  on  such  a  mission,  the  reason  may  perhaps  be  found 
in  this— That  in  the  coming  ages  the  idea  might  come  to  be  entertained 
that  the  further  punishment  of  the  wicked  was  unnecessary;  that  the 
provisions  of  the  Atonement  were  infinite,  and  that,  if  the  opportunity 
were  only  presented,  they  would  accept  of  salvation.    And,  therefore, 
the  offer  of  salvation  was  made  to  souls  in  perdition,  but  only  resulted 
in  its  utter  and  impious  rejection.    How  many  convicts  in  our  prisons 
would  give  up  their  prison  life  on  the  required  condition  of  becoming 
humble  and  holy ! 


MORAL   EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  233 

and  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  no  longer 
exerted,  and  the  mass  of  counteracting  and  restrain- 
ing motive  ever  operating  upon  the  sinner  here,  is 
withdrawn,  and  wicked  beings  have  become  his 
only  companions,  what,  in  the  very  nature  of  the 
case,  can  be  looked  for  then  but  an  energy  and  per- 
sistency in  the  choice  of  evil  corresponding  with  the 
absence  of  these  counteracting  influences.  And 
where  in  all  the  future  history  of  such  a  soul  can  we 
find  any  good  foundation  for  hope  that  it  will  stop 
sinning.  Verily  does  the  sinful  habit  become,  to  all 
appearance,  confirmed  and  inveterate,  so  that  noth- 
ing is  left  for  the  one  dying  in  his  transgression  but 
eternal  sinfulness. 

The  assumption,  therefore,  of  the  Restorationists 
that  there  are  resources  for  the  salvation  of  men  in 
the  future  world  beyond  what  God  uses  in  this,  is 
baseless.  No  reason  appears  why  the  natural  con- 
sequences of  sin — the  natural  operation  of  ' '  the  law 
of  sin  and  death,"  should  not  work  on  in  the  expe- 
rience of  the  sinner  in  the  future  world  as  energetic- 
ally and  disastrously  as  here  ;  nor  why,  indeed,  the 
process  should  ever  be  arrested.  To  all  appearance 
the  habit  of  sinning  to  which  he  has  surrendered 
himself  will  result  in  confirmed  and  hopeless  impeni- 
tence, binding  him  in  chains  that  never  shall  be 
broken. 

Let  the  Restorationist,  therefore,  be  assured  that 
his  scheme  is  without  foundation  ;  that  the  whole 
universe  of  God  can  furnish  no  mightier  agencies 
to  save  the  sinner  than  those  which  God  tries  upon 


234  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

him  here  in  this  world ;  and  that  if  he  dares  to  resist 
these,  and  go  into  the  future  world  without  repent- 
ance for  sin  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  he  chooses  a 
position  where  nothing  better  can  ever  reach  him, 
and  hands  over  himself,  from  the  very  necessities 
of  the  case,  to  final  and  eternal  impenitence. 

His  endless  perdition  appears,  therefore,  certain 
and  inevitable  from  the  fact  that  nothing  more  can 
be  done/0r  him  than  has  been  done. 

OBJECTION  :    CONDITION  OF  THE  HEATHEN. 

At  this  point  comes  up  the  objection  that  the  hea- 
then, as  well  as  the  ignorant  and  vicious  of  our  city 
populations,  do  not  enjoy  these  privileges,  and  there- 
fore do  not  have  in  this  world  a  fair  probation,  and 
are  not  proper  subjects  for  punishment  hereafter ; 
and,  therefore,  that  a  future  probation  is  necessary 
for  them,  in  order  to  vindicate  the  benevolence  of 
God.  Answer : 

i .  They  are  truly  sinful.  They  do  not  act  up  to 
the  light  and  knowledge  they  have.  For  example  : 

They  know  God  ;  for  said  Paul  in  his  preaching 
to  such  (Acts  xiv  :  17)  :  "  He  left  not  himself  with- 
out witness,  in  that  he  did  good,  and  gave  us  rain 
from  heaven,  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts 
with  food  and  gladness. ' ' 

Also,  they  have  a  conscience;  for  the  apostle  says, 
in  Romans  ii :  15,  respecting  such  :  "Which  show 
the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their 
conscience  also  bearing  witness. ' ' 

And    against    this    light  and  reason  they  sin. 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  235 

' '  They  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowl- 
edge." (Rom.  i:28.)  And  "when  they  knew 
God,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither  were 
thankful /"  (Rom.  i :  21.)  thus  bringing  the  charge 
of  wilful  and  wicked  ingratitude  against  the  whole 
heathen  world. 

2.  They  are  inexcusable  in  their  sinfulness ;  for 
says  the  apostle  (Rom.  i :  20)  :   "  For  the  invisible 
things  of  God  since  the  creation  of  the  world  are 
clearly  seen,   being  perceived  through  the  things 
that  are  made,  even  his  everlasting  power  and  di- 
vinity, that  they  may  be  without  excuse."    (Revised 
Version. ) 

Moreover,  every  man  knows  that  he  should 
' '  love  his  neighbor  as  himself, ' '  and,  whenever  he 
takes  a  selfish  advantage  of  him,  knows  that  he  is 
not  doing  as  he  would  be  done  by  ;  and  no  depth  of 
moral  degradation  can  ever  obliterate  from  his  mind 
the  conviction  of  his  meanness  and  wickedess. 

3.  The  heathen  fully  recognize  their  own  guilt, 
and  are  seeking  by  sacrifice,  prayers,  fasting,  pil- 
grimages  and   penance   to   propitiate   an   offended 
Deity.     And   if,  with   these   external   professions, 
there  is  any — the  least  real  penitence  for  sin,  or  real 
gratitude  for  mercies,  or  the  indulgence  of  any  true, 
honest  and  upright  feeling  ;  in  short,  if  there  be  so 
much  of  sincerity  and  honesty  of  heart  that  if  Christ 
were  made  known  to  such  a  one,  he  would  be  ac- 
cepted by  him,  there  is  good  and  sufficient  reason 
for  believing  that  such  a  one  will  be  saved.     For 
notice  this  declaration — ' '  Behold  I  stand  at  the  door 


236  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

and  knock  ;  if  any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the 
door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,"  (Rev.  iii :  20.)  No- 
tice it  does  not  say  how  wide — it  may  be  but  a  crack 
as  it  were,  but  if  the  door  be  opened — perhaps  but 
just  a  little  somewhat — that  is,  if  a  single  true  and 
right  feeling  be  indulged,  then,  with  that  state  of 
mind  and  heart,  the  Spirit  will  "come  in  to  him," 
and  give  him  an  earnest  of  the  heavenly  inheritance. 
For,  ' '  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  God  and 
worketh  righteousness  is  accepted  with  him  ;"  (Acts 
.x  :  35. )  And  true  penitence  and  true  gratitude,  and 
any  true  and  right  feeling  is  ' '  working  righteous- 
ness ; ' '  and  it  would  seem  that  such  a  one  would 
gladly  accept  of  Christ  as  soon  as  he  is  made  known 
to  him  in  the  future  world.  And  any  one  who 
would  accept  of  Christ,  were  he  but  revealed  to  him, 
will  undoubtedly  be  saved. 

But  if  he  only  makes  a  pretense  of  sorrow  for  sin 
— at  the  bottom  a  sham  and  an  attempt  to  impose 
on  the  god  he  worships — or  if  he  expresses  gratitude, 
and  still  has  no  thankfulness  at  heart,  no  reason  ap- 
pears why  he  does  not  merit  a  condemnation  propor- 
tioned to  his  ingratitude  and  hypocrisy.  Therefore, 

4.  The  heathen  do  have  a  fair  probation.  Every 
one  of  them  in  many  things  sees  clearly  what  is 
right ;  and  whenever  he  sees  it,  is  externally  bound 
by  it  in  the  face  of  all  opposing  influence.  When 
he  has  seen  the  right,  there  is  and  there  can  be  no 
excuse  for  not  following  it.  Not  to  follow  it  is  sin 
— high-handed  and  inexcusable  sin,  and  deserving 
of  punishment. 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  237 

And  it  is  for  this  he  is  to  be  punished;  and  his 
punishment  is  not  to  go  one  iota  beyond  his  real  and 
inexcusable  guilt.  True  it  is  that,  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent, he  is  ignorant;  and  the  fadl  will  be  fully  taken 
into  account,  and  will  go  far  toward  mitigating  the 
severity  of  his  punishment;  for  said  the  Savior: 
' '  He  that  knew  not,  and  did  commit  things  worthy 
of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few  stripes."  (Luke 
xii :  48.) 

"  But,"  says  the  objedtor,  "  he  has  not  the  light 
of  the  Gospel."  True,  and  this  facl:  also  will  make 
his  sin  and  punishment  correspondingly  light. 
' '  They  that  have  sinned  without  law  shall  also 
perish  without  law."  (Rom.  ii :  12.) 

"  But  why,  then,"  he  asks,  "  does  he  not  have 
the  Gospel?  Why,  if  it  be  so  priceless  a  bless- 
ing, has  it  not  been  given  to  the  world  long  ere 
this  ?  Why  have  eighteen  centuries  rolled  away 
since  Christ  died  upon  the  cross,  and  yet  the  mass 
of  mankind  never  heard  of  him  ?  God  could  have 
strewn  the  world  with  Bibles,  in  every  language,  had 
he  so  pleased.  Why  has  He  not  done  it  ?  Why  is 
by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  world  to-day  cursed 
with  heathenish  blindness  and  ignorance  ?  ' ' 

We  are  too  ignorant  and  short-sighted  ourselves 
to  answer  these  questions  fully;  but  some  things  are 
to  be  considered : 

i .  The  one  urging  this  assumes  that  if  only  this 
were  done  the  heathen  would  be  saved.  But  this 
assumption  is  groundless.  Even  in  this  Christian 
land,  the  most  highly  favored  with  the  Gospel  and 


238  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

its  institutions,   not  one  in   three  becomes  a   true 
Christian. 

2.  To  those  in  Christian  lands  who  neglect  or  re- 
je<5l  it,  as  the  masses  do,  it  becomes  only  an  addi- 
tional burden  of    condemnation ;    as  the  Apostle 
called  it,  "a  savor  of  death  unto  death. ' '     (2  Cor. 
ii:  16.) 

3.  Should  the   Gospel,   therefore,  be  given  the 
world  in   any  other  way   than   the  one  God  has 
chosen — namely,    through    the    efforts    and    self- 
denials  and  sacrifices  of    His   Church — the  result 
might  only  be  disastrous,  very  likely  resulting  only 
in  a  cold  and  contemptuous  rejection  of  it,  and  a 
correspondingly  deeper  guilt  and  ruin. 

4.  The  use  the  heathen  make  of  the  light  and 
knowledge  they  have,  shows  the  use  they  might 
make  of  greater  privileges.     If  they  abuse  the  light 
they  have,  they  might  abuse  greater.     ' '  He  that 
is  unjust  in   the  least  is  unjust   also  in  much.1' 
(lyuke  xvi :  10.)     And  how  fast,  and  how  far,  and 
in  what  way,  wicked  men,  anywhere  in  the  world, 
can  be  successfully  approached  with  Gospel  privi- 
leges so  as  to  secure  the  certainty  of  their  salvation 
is  a  problem  God  only  can  solve;  and  we  are  obliged 
to  leave  the  solution  of  it  with  Him,  only  being 
careful  to  do  our  own  personal  duty  in  the  premises, 
and  preach  His  Gospel  with  all  our  might,  and  as 
widely  as  we  have  opportunity. 

5.  We  have  every  reason  for  believing  that  God 
is  blessing  all  efforts  made  to  give  the  Gospel  to  the 
world  to  the  full  extent  that  He  wisely  and  pro- 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  239 

perly  can,  and  stimulating  His  Church  to  the  utmost 
to  spread  the  true  knowledge  of  Himself  among 
men,  in  exact  accordance  with  His  own  declaration 
that  he  is  ' '  not  willing  that  any  should  perish  ; ' ' 
and  that  should  He  deviate  in  the  least  from  the 
plan  He  has  chosen,  He  would  not  be  doing  the 
best  thing. 

6.  But  why  should  the  Gospel  be  preached  to  the 
heathen  when  it  is  to  so  many  of  them,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Apostle,  ' '  a  savor  of  death  unto 
death,"  i.e.,  only  an  additional  burden  of  condem- 
nation ? 

Answer :  The  Gospel  is  a  powerful  additional 
motive  which  the  Spirit  of  God  can  use  far  more 
effectively  than  the  mere  light  of  nature  to  awaken 
the  conscience  of  the  heathen;  and  tho  it  will  be 
only  an  additional  source  of  condemnation  to  those 
who  reject  it,  yet  the  additional  good  accomplished 
in  the  case  of  those  who  will  accept  it,  will  more 
than  compensate  for  this  additional  evil. 

Men,  therefore,  both  in  Christian  and  heathen 
lands,  do  have  a  fair  probation,  and  those  who  are 
found  at  last  not  to  have  improved  it,  will  merit  a 
condemnation  exactly  proportioned  to  the  light 
which  God  has  given  them,  and  which  they  have 
wickedly  rejected. 

SEC.  8.  The  habit  of  sinning  will,  to  all  appear- 
ance, remain  unchanged  by  the  event  of  death. 

Here  notice  the  formation,  progress  and  inveter- 
acy of  sinful  habit. 

In  a  newly  created  mind,  coming  from  the  hand 


240  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

of  God  in  its  maturity,  as  we  suppose  Adam  and 
the  angels  to  have  come,  we  naturally  conclude 
that  the  power  of  reason  and  conscience  would 
be  at  its  maximum,  and  the  love  of  independence 
at  its  minimum  ;  that  is,  that  it  would  have  as 
strong  a  tendency  towards  good,  and  as  weak 
a  tendency  towards  evil,  as  is  possible  in  the 
original  constitution  of  a  being  "made  in  God's 
image. ' ' 

If  now,  as  he  enters  on  probation,  he  would 
follow  the  dictates  of  his  reason  and  his  conscience, 
and  submit  to  the  requirements  of  the  Almighty,  as 
he  might  do  and  ought  to  do,  as  the  Devil  might 
have  done,  and  as  Adam  might  have  done,  and  as 
both  should  have  done,  then  would  reason  and 
conscience  acquire  additional  power  by  his  thus 
yielding  to  their  control,  and  the  inclination  to 
independence  be  correspondingly  lessened,  and  he 
would  take  the  first  step  in  the  formation  of  a  holy 
character,  and  a  holy  habit.  Such  we  suppose  will 
be  the  experience  of  newly  created  minds  in  future 
ages.  Their  first  moral  act  under  a  fair  trial  will 
be  one  of  obedience. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  refuses  submission,  and 
follows  his  love  of  independence,  as  did  Adam  and 
the  Fallen  Angels,  then  the  consequent  effect  on 
the  balance  of  his  moral  faculties  is  reversed. 
Reason  and  conscience  lose  somewhat  of  their 
original  power ;  the  love  of  independent  action 
is  increased ;  the  inclination  to  self-indulgence  is 
intensified  ;  sin  becomes  more  and  more  easy  of 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  241 

commission,  and  thus  this  first  wrong  step  lays  the 
foundation  of  a  sinful  character  and  a  sinful 
habit. 

As  this  habit  progresses,  it  draws  everything  into 
its  own  dreadful  channel,  until  all  the  energies  of 
soul  and  body  are  enlisted  in  the  work  of  sinful 
self-indulgence.  The  drunkard,  the  libertine  and 
the  gambler  become  infatuated  in  their  wickedness, 
and  the  vice  they  love  becomes,  not  unfrequently, 
an  absorbing  and  controlling  passion  almost  like  a 
demoniacal  possession. 

And  indeed,  any  form  of  sinning  may  grow  at 
length  into  a  sinful  habit;  so  that  men  often  become 
fearfully  wicked  without  any  gross  and  sensual 
manifestations,  and  even  while  maintaining  a  fault- 
less exterior.  The  neglect  of  religious  duty,  for- 
getfulness  of  God,  immersion  in  worldly  business 
with  no  serious  care  for  the  soul,  a  prayerless  life,  a 
determination  to  follow  one's  own  inclinations  irre- 
spective of  the  claims  of  Christian  obligation,  and 
the  instructions  of  the  Bible,  result  in  as  complete 
an  alienation  of  the  soul  from  God  as  the  grosser 
forms  of  wickedness,  and  produce  in  the  heart 
habits  of  sinning  equally  dreadful,  and  equally  dif- 
ficult to  be  broken  up. 

And  from  the  habit  of  sin  thus  formed,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  few  are  delivered  in  this  world.  The 
broad  road  to  destruction  is  ever  thronged,  while 
the  "strait  gate"  of  repentance,  and  the  "narrow 
way ' '  of  confirmed  reformation  ' '  few  find. ' '  (Matt, 
vii :  13,  14.)  The  mass  of  men  resist  all  God's 


242  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

efforts  for  their  salvation,  cling  to  the  sin  He  warns 
them  against,  reject  the  holiness  He  inculcates, 
' '  despise  the  riches  of  His  goodness  and  forbear- 
ance and  long  suffering,"  neglect  the  duties  He 
enjoins,  and  harden  themselves  in  impenitence  until 
the  earthly  probation  ends  and  death  withdraws 
them  from  human  sight.  Such  is  the  habit  of  sin  ; 
as  the  Scripture  terms  it,  the  ' '  Law  of  Sin  and 
Death" — the  commencement,  progress  and  termin- 
ation of  the  sinful  life  on  earth. 

Here  let  it  be  noticed  that,  to  all  appearance,  this 
habit  of  sinning  grows  stronger  and  stronger  up  to 
the  last  moment  of  departing  life.  Will  the  mere 
event  of  Death  effect  any  radical  change  in  this 
habit  of  the  soul  ?  But  many  wicked  passions  have 
apparently  no  dependence  upon  the  body,  and  are 
in  no  way  affected  by  temporal  death.  For  example — 

What  dependence  have  such  towering  passions  as 
pride,  envy,  ambition  and  revenge  upon  the  body  ? 
The  body  is  only  now  and  then  the  instrument 
of  their  gratification,  not  the  originating  cause  of 
them. 

Also,  what  has  the  body  to  do  with  the  sin  of 
forgetting  God,  or  of  rebellion  against  His  govern- 
ment, or  the  rejection  of  the  Savior  ?  To  all  appear- 
ance nothing;  and  the  event  of  death,  by  delivering 
the  soul  from  the  hindrances  and  obstructions  of 
mortality,  and  giving  the  mental  powers  a  fuller  and 
freer  play,  will,  to  all  appearance,  only  result  in  a 
freer  exercise  of  all  these  sinful  tendencies,  and 
bring  the  soul  into  a  more  distinct  and  conscious 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  243 

collision  with  the  Almighty,  and  thus  only  intensify 
instead  of  reforming  sinful  character. 

SEC.  9.  Sinful  Character  not  changed  hereafter  by 
the  Exertion  of  Divine  Power. 

The  supposition  of  the  creation  of  holiness  by  the 
power  of  God  is  absurd  and  impossible.  No  one 
can  make  either  a  good  or  bad  character  for  a  man 
but  himself.  For  a  good  character  is  made  up  of 
love  and  obedience  to  God,  and  the  exercise  of  faith 
and  repentance.  But  obedience  and  love  and  re- 
pentance and  faith  are  not  the  result  of  power.  A 
good  or  bad  character,  a  hard  or  tender  heart,  can- 
not be  created  by  influences  exerted  upon  the  soul 
from  without  itself.  As  DR.  CHANNING  forcibly 
remarks — "To  suppose  moral  goodness  breathed 
from  abroad  into  the  guilty  soul,  just  as  health 
may  be  imparted  to  a  sick  body,  is  to  overlook  the 
distinction  between  corporeal  and  intellectual  na- 
tures, and  to  degrade  a  free  being  to  a  machine. ' ' 
The  only  possible  way  in  which  a  heart  can  be 
hardened,  is  by  its  own  voluntary  resistance  to  truth 
and  motives ;  also  the  only  possible  way  in  which 
it  can  be  softened,  and  made  humble  and  holy,  is 
by  its  own  voluntary  yielding  to  truth  and  motives  ; 
so  that  no  one  can  make  either  a  good  or  bad  char- 
acter for  himself  but  himself;  and  therefore,  a  good 
character  cannot  result  from  the  exertion  of  power 
by  another,  though  exerted  to  the  extent  of  omnipo- 
tence. Even  God  cannot  love  for  us,  nor  choose 
for  us,  nor  exercise  faith  for  us,  nor  do  our  work 
of  repentance,  nor  compel  us  to  do  either.  And 


244  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

if  either  is  done,  it  must  be  the  result  of  our  own 
•voluntary  action.  This  is  our  work,  and  we  alone 
can  do  it. 

And  to  the  doing  of  this  personal  work,  God  can 
only  lead  us  and  induce  us  by  moral  considerations. 
Motives  alone  can  move  the  soul  to  right  action,  and 
to  a  change  of  character.  But  all  motives  to  this 
end,  possible  or  conceivable,  are  expended  upon  us 
here  in  this  world.  Heaven,  Hell  and  Calvary  are 
set  before  us,  involving  infinite  appeals  to  every 
side  of  our  nature  which  can  be  reached  by  motive, 
and  God's  Infinite  Spirit  goes  with  and  energizes 
all  to  the  full  extent  that  He  wisely  and  properly 
can  ;  so  that  to  induce  a  man  to  form  a  holy  char- 
acter is  the  persistent  effort  of  God  during  his 
earthly  probation.  He  is  ever  exerting  in  his  be- 
half all  the  power  that  He  wisely  can.  He  leaves 
nothing  unattempted  ;  with  infinite  patience,  and 
infinite  love,  and  unspeakable  yearnings  He  waits 
upon  him,  and  works  over  him  by  His  Word,  Provi- 
dence and  Spirit  to  turn  him  from  his  evil  way  ; 
declaring  His  unwillingness  that  he  should  perish, 
and  exclaiming  in  the  anguish  of  His  heart,  at  his 
desperation  in  wickedness,  ' '  How  shall  I  give  thee 
up  ;  my  heart  is  turned  within  me,  my  repentings 
are  kindled  together."  (Hos.  xi :  8.) 

And  no  exertions  of  the  Almighty  elsewhere  can 
surpass  His  mighty  workings  for  human  salvation 
here  on  earth  ;  and  if  these  have  failed,  the  case  is 
hopeless.  The  man  would  not  be  saved ;  and  as  he 
sinks  down  to  death,  the  language  of  God  over  him 


MORAL  EVIL:  ITS  FINAL  issufcs.  245 

will  be — ' '  What  could  have  been  done  more  for  thy 
salvation  that  I  have  not  done  ?  "  * 

Reformation,  therefore,  by  the  mere  exertion  of 
power  is  impossible  either  in  this  world  or  the  next. 

SEC.  10.  The  sinner  in  the  future  world  will  have 
no  desire  for  a  change  of  character. 

He  would,  if  possible,  escape  confinement,  as 
would  the  felons  in  our  state  prisons,  but  will  have 
no  desire  to  become  holy  in  character,  and  would 
resent  and  repel,  as  they  usually  do,  all  efforts  to 
make  him  thus.  For 

i .  There  will  be  no  regret  that  he  is  thus  sinful. 
Persistent  sinning  begets  insensibility  to  sin.  Per- 
sistent lying,  theft  and  murder  beget  utter  insensi- 
bility to  these  sins,  and  they  are  revelled  in  with  no 
regret  or  remorse. 

The  Scriptures  indorse  this  view.  They  speak  of 
a  ' '  hard  and  impenitent  heart ;  "  of  men  as  being 
' '  past  feeling ;  "  "  hardened  through  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  sin  ;  "  "  having  their  conscience  seared  as 
with  a  hot  iron. ' '  Now,  why  should  not  this  pro- 
cess of  insensibility  to  sin  keep  on  in  the  future 


*  Should  it  be  asked  why  God  expends  so  much  effort  for  the  salva- 
tion of  those  who  He  foreknows  will  resist  it  all,  and  be  finally  lost,  one 
answer  is — That  he  may  vindicate  His  character  for  sincerity  and  hon- 
esty before  the  assembled  universe  at  last.  In  the  view  we  are  taking, 
His  dealings  with  every  man  are  to  pass  into  history,  and  the  illustra- 
tion of  His  character  and  perfections  in  His  treatment  of  men  in  the 
way  of  judgment  and  mercy  here  in  this  world,  is  to  be  the  grand  in- 
fluence which  is  to  bind  the  universe  in  obedience  to  Him  forever;  and 
it  is  essential,  therefore,  that  in  passing  the  sentence  of  final  condem- 
nation upon  ungodly  men,  His  effort  for  their  salvation  should  appear 
to  have  been  thorough  and  complete,  even  so  that  nothing  was  left 
undone  on  His  part  to  secure  it. 


246  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

world  ?  Not  the  insensibility  of  the  entire  nature, 
moral  and  intellectual,  but  insensibility  to  the  odious 
and  hateful  and  repulsive  nature  of  sin,  and  the 
absence  of  regret  at  having  committed  it. 

2.  The  positive  love  of  sin  will  increase  with  in- 
creasing wickedness. 

A  mischievous  boy,  if  allowed  to  have  his  own 
way,  becomes  more  and  more  troublesome  till  he 
revels  in  the  defiance  of  all  authority.  The  des- 
peradoes gather  on  our  frontiers,  and  revel  in  scenes 
of  dissipation  and  debauchery.  A  serious,  sober 
and  useful  life  becomes  utterly  distasteful,  and  they 
come,  at  length,  to  exult  in  the  most  atrocious  and 
wicked  conduct,  and  delight  in  recounting  their 
nefarions  exploits  of  theft,  adultery  and  murder. 
The  fact  is,  the  more  a  man  sins,  the  less  repug- 
nance he  has  to  the  commission  of  sin.  The  more 
wicked  he  becomes,  the  more  intensely  does  he  love 
his  sinful  courses.  The  more  he  gratifies  his  vicious 
inclinations,  the  more  loudly  do  they  clamor  for 
indulgence;  and  the  deeper  he  sinks  in  moral  de- 
basement, the  more  completely  is  he  satisfied  to 
wallow  in  his  filthiness.  Dying  thus,  will  not  the 
process  keep  on  ?  What  is  to  hinder  it  ? 

We  notice  also  how  wicked  men  delight  in  tempta- 
tion. No  sooner  does  a  youth  become  dissipated 
than  he  seeks  to  draw  his  companions  after  him. 
Vile  men  send  obscene  books  and  pictures  into  the 
schools  and  seminaries  of  our  youth  to  corrupt  them. 
The  Devil  delights  in  tempting  men.  Commencing 
in  Eden,  he  has  prosecuted  the  work  untiringly 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  247 

ever  since,  and  the  great  Adversary  goeth  about 
now  "  as  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  de- 
vour." (i  Pet.  v:  8.) 

The  love  of  cruelty  increases  with  its  gratification. 
The  Indian  comes  to  find  his  supreme  delight  in  the 
torture  of  his  victims,  and  dances  about  their 
slowly-consuming  bodies  with  fiendish  satisfaction. 
The  tortures  of  the  Inquisition  came  very  likely  to 
be  inflicted,  not  merely  or  mainly  from  hatred  to 
Christianity,  but  from  cultivated  ferocity.  The 
devils  delight  in  tormenting  men,  like  the  lunatic 
of  Gadara,  and  when  compelled  to  leave  their  human 
victim,  were  glad  to  kill  swine.  (I/uke  viii :  26-36. ) 

The  miser  clutches  in  his  dying  hand  the  key  to 
his  hoarded  treasure. 

Thus  manifestly  the  love  of  sin  increases  with  in- 
creasing wickedness.  Why  should  it  not  always  be 
thus? 

SEC.  ii.  The  wicked,  in  the  future  world,  will 
not  seek  the  companionship  of  God,  nor  desire  a  home 
in  Heaven. 

They  will  not  pine  for  Heaven.  They  loathe  its 
purity  and  holiness,  and  were  the  choice  given  them 
of  Heaven  or  Hell  as  a  place  of  residence,  would 
choose  the  latter.  Nothing  in  Heaven  has  the  least 
attraction  for  them,  and  beyond  this  all  its  scenes 
and  associations  and  companionships  are  loathsome 
and  repulsive.  Wicked  men  here  dislike  the  holy, 
and  they  always  will. 

Nor  will  they  bemoan  their  separation  from  God. 
They  will  not  desire  His  companionship,  and,  beyond 


248  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

this,  will  hate  His  presence  with  downright  and  per- 
sistent hatred.  Hell  will  be  positively  a  more  endur- 
able place  for  them  than  would  be  a  position  before 
the  great  white  throne.  They  would  flee  from  the 
face  of  the  Almighty,  and  Hell  would  be  a  positive 
refuge. 

SEC.  12.  Punishment  in  itself  has  no  tendency  to 
reform  character. 

Very  few  of  our  criminals  are  ever  permanently 
benefited  by  their  prison  life,  and  they  leave  the 
temporary  confinement  of  jails  and  penitentiaries 
only  to  enact  over  again  the  same  crimes;  and  the 
oftener  they  are  incarcerated  the  harder  they  become, 
till  the  common  phrase  in  our  police  reports — ' '  an 
old  jail  bird" — is  only  a  synonym  for  confirmed 
and  hopeless  wickedness.  If  they  ever  are  morally 
benefited  during  their  prison  life,  it  is  owing  to 
Christian  influences  over  and  above  and  outside  of 
the  punishment  of  their  crimes. 

Punishment  merely  has  neither  power  nor  ten- 
dency even  to  effect  reformation,  and  there  is  not  an 
intimation  in  the  Bible  that  the  final  punishment  of 
the  wicked  has  any  such  design  or  tendency.* 


*  But,  it  is  asked,  does  not  the  parent  chastise  his  child  and  so  induce 
submission  ?  And  may  not  God,  as  the  Heavenly  Parent,  so  chastise 
His  wicked  children,  in  the  future  world,  as  to  secure  a  corresponding 
result?  Answer:  The  chastisement  of  the  child  is  efficient  and  valua- 
ble only  in  childhood,  and  while  the  resistance  to  authority  has  almost 
no  characteristic  of  intelligent  rebellion.  With  increasing  years,  and 
a  corresponding  intelligence  in  transgression,  punishment,  as  a  means 
of  personal  benefit,  becomes  useless,  and  the  parent  is  compelled  to 
relinquish  it.  Reason  only  can  avail  then.  Force  has  no  power  to  sub- 
due an  intelligent  will.  It  may  compel  external  obedience,  but  cannot 
reach  the  submission  of  the  heart  and  true  reformation  of  character. 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  249 

Indeed,  the  entire  representation  of  the  Bible  is 
exactly  the  opposite  of  this — namely,  that  their 
hatred  and  opposition  to  God  are  only  intensified  by 
punishment — "They  curse  God  and  look  upward 
and  blaspheme  Him  because  of  their  pains. ' '  (Rev. 
xvi :  1 1 . ) 

Suppose  the  Mighty  Savior  should  appear  in  Hell 
personally  at  any  time  in  the  coming  ages,  what 
kind  of  reception  would  He  be  likely  to  meet  with 
from  those  in  confinement  ?  They  have  been  curs- 
ing and  blaspheming  God  for  hundreds  or  thousands 
of  years,  or  ages,  as  the  case  might  be;  and  now 
they  confront  the  Majesty,  the  purity,  the  holiness 
of  the  very  One  against  whom  they  have  sinned, 
and  whom  they  have  all  the  while  been  blasphem- 
ing on  account  of  their  plagues,  as  they  did  at  the 
outset,  as  stated  in  Rev.  xvi  :  9,  u,  21.  How  would 
the  devils  and  wicked  men  manage  such  an  encounter 
with  their  proud,  unhumbled,  God-defying  impulses 
raging  and  burning  within  them  ? 

Is  it  said  that  the  fires  of  perdition  that  have 
been  kindled  upon  them,  have,  all  the  while,  in  the 
lapse  of  ages,  been  purifying,  softening  and  elevat- 
ing them,  and  burning  up  the  impurities  of  their 
characters  ?  Fire  may  purify  metals,  but  does  re- 
morse purify  ?  Do  the  burning  memories  of  past 
meanness  and  wickedness  and  ingratitude  and  hatred 
of  God  that  characterized  their  earthly  probation, 
have  any  tendency  to  improve  character  ? 

When  the  devils  saw  Christ  coming  on  earth,  they 
had  no  idea  that  he  could  come  to  them  for  any 


250  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

thing  but  judgment,  and  were  undoubtedly  right. 
' '  Art  thou  come, ' '  they  said,  ' '  to  torment  us  before 
the  time  ? ' '  There  was  no  question  in  their  minds 
as  to  the  result  of  the  meeting  when  the  time  came, 
but  why  hasten  it  was  the  only  question.  Why  tor- 
ment us  befote  the  time  ?  They  would  feel  the  same 
at  any  future  time  should  they  see  Him  coming  to 
the  world  of  perdition.  Knowing  the  utter  antago- 
nism of  character,  between  themselves  and  Him,  and 
feeling  the  kindlings  of  hate  against  him  for  their 
already  protracted  torment,  would  they,  could  they 
have  any  other  thought  than  that  He  had  come  to 
deal  with  them  still  in  judgment?  Why  should  they? 
What  had  they  done  in  the  meantime  to  change  in 
any  way  their  relations  to  Him,  or  his  to  them  ? 

As  to  the  sinners  from  this  world,  if  they  shrank 
from  "  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb  "  at  the  judgment, 
and  called  on  the  rocks  and  the  mountains  to  fall  on 
them  and  hide  them  from  Him,  why  not  now? 
What  had  they  done  in  the  meantime  to  make  that 
wrath  burn  against  them  with  any  less  of  indigna- 
tion and  terror  ?  They  started  on  their  experience 
of  punishment  with  cursing  and  blasphemy  of  God 
for  His  righteous  judgments.  When  the  vials  of 
God's  wrath  were  being  poured  out  upon  the  wicked, 
the  Angel  in  the  Apocalypse  proclaimed  from  the 
altar  through  all  heaven — "Even  so,  L,ord  God 
Almighty,  true  and  righteous  are  thy  judgments." 
(Rev.  xvi :  7.) 

And  yet  they  in  their  wickedness  only  ' '  blas- 
phemed the  name  of  God  which  had  power  over 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  251 

these  plagues,  and  they  repented  not  to  give  Him 
glory.  And  they  gnawed  their  tongues  for  pain, 
and  blasphemed  the  God  of  Heaven,  and  repented 
not  of  their  deeds."  (Rev.  xvi  :  9,  10,  n.) 

If  at  the  outset  they  blasphemed  the  God  of  Hea- 
ven for  the  infliction  of  judgments  upon  them  that 
were  right  and  deserved,  then  why  should  the 
blasphemy  be  suspended?  What  should  change 
that  blasphemy  into  cheerful  acquiescence  in  the 
Divine  dealings,  so  that  God  could  now  look  upon 
them  with  complacency  ?  If  they  "  repented  not " 
at  the  outset  of  God's  dealings  with  them,  and  met 
Him  only  with  hatred  and  cursing,  is  it  likely  that 
the  continuance  of  the  same  dealings  would  be  fol- 
lowed by  just  the  opposite  result?  Does  the  con- 
tinuance of  suffering  tend  in  any  way  to  reconcile 
the  soul  to  its  infliction,  or  diminish  hatred  towards 
the  author  of  it  ?  And,  therefore,  if  at  the  Judg- 
ment they  called  on  the  rocks  and  the  mountains  to 
fall  on  them  and  hide  them  from  His  face,  so  would 
they  flee  in  terror  from  Him  at  any  future  time,  and 
after  the  long  experience  of  His  indignation,  cry 
with  ten-fold  earnestness  to  be  "  hidden  from  the 
face  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the 
wrath  of  the  Lamb."  (Rev.  vi  :  16.) 

SEC.  13.  The  Sufferings  of  Perdition  will  have  no 
tendency  to  improve  character. 

Suffering  alone  has  no  power  to  reform  character, 
and  at  best  only  leads  the  sinner  to  give  up  the 
external  act  of  sin  which  causes  the  suffering,  the 
character  remaining  still  essentially  unchanged. 


252  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Suffering  brought  Pharaoh  to  temporary  submis- 
sion and  external  obedience,  but  it  effected  no  true 
reformation  of  character,  and  produced  no  love  to 
God.  And  any  amount  of  mere  suffering  would 
only  have  hardened,  and  any  reformation  brought 
about  by  mere  suffering  never  would  have  amounted 
to  true  holiness.  So  in  the  case  of  every  wicked 
man.  Mere  suffering  would  produce  no  positive 
love  for  the  Almighty,  and  no  complacency  in  His 
government,  and  no  delight  in  His  companionship; 
and  the  man  would  only  be  possibly  deterred  from 
the  external  act  of  sin  by  these  fearful  consequen- 
ces, and  could  he  be  sure  at  any  time  of  escaping 
these,  he  would  return  to  it  again  like  the  ' '  dog  to 
his  vomit,  or  the  sow  that  was  washed  to  her  wallow- 
ing in  the  mire."  (2  Pet.  ii :  21.) 

Moreover,  where  the  suffering  is  seen  to  result 
directly  from  the  sinful  indulgence,  it  does  not  at 
all  lead  the  sufferer  to  give  up  the  sin.  The  drunk- 
ard's life  is  often  one  of  almost  incessant  torment — 
torment  of  body  and  torment  of  mind.  He  is 
crushed  by  poverty,  wretchedness,  and  remorse. 
His  body  is  bloated  with  disease,  and  his  nerves 
thrill  with  pain.  He  suffers  the  horrors  of  delirium 
tremens.  His  ruined  family  before  him  rend  his 
soul  with  anguish.  Yet,  in  defiance  of  all  this,  he 
clings  to  the  sinful  habit  with  the  very  strength  of 
desperation,  and  wades  through  all  the  accumulated 
and  accumulating  horrors  of  his  experience  to  the 
very  last — till  the  grave  opens  for  him  and  hides  his 
premature  rottenness  from  human  sight. 


MORAL    EVIL'.    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  253 

The  record  of  licentiousness  is  no  less  appalling. 
Racks  and  dungeons  and  flames  are  not  more  terri- 
ble than  are  the  sufferings  which  irregular  passion 
often  inflicts;  and  yet,  in  spite  of  all,  the  wretched 
victims  hug  their  habits  of  beastly  impurity  with 
steadily  increasing  frenzy.  The  further  they  go, 
and  the  more  they  suffer,  the  more  energetically  do 
they  choose  their  sin  and  suffering.  They  cannot  be 
induced  to  relinquish  it,  and  the  ' '  Ethiopian's  skin ' ' 
and  the  "leopard's  spot"  are  not  apparently  more 
unchangeable. 

So  the  gambler  and  the  miser  become  so  infatu- 
ated in  their  wickedness  as  to  be  utterly  reckless  of 
consequences.  No  matter  how  terrible  the  conse- 
quent suffering  and  privation,  these  have  not  the 
least  influence  to  wean  them  from  the  vice,  and  they 
cling  to  it  still  with  undiminished  frenzy. 

A  fearful  illustration  of  the  powerlessness  of  suf- 
fering to  improve  character  occurred  some  years  ago 

in  the  State  of  Ohio,  in  the  town  of  P ,  in  case 

of  a  profane  and  intemperate  man  by  the  name  of 

J B .  The  writer  received  the  following 

account  from  one  who  repeatedly  watched  with  him 
in  his  sickness:  He  was  a  man  of  powerful  frame 
and  vigorous  constitution,  but  by  his  bad  habits 
had  brought  upon  himself  frequent  and  dreadful 
sufferings;  at  one  time,  while  in  a  state  of  intoxica- 
tion, falling  from  a  building  and  bruising  and  man- 
gling his  body  in  a  shocking  manner,  which  subjected 
him  to  a  long  confinement  and  terrible  agonies,  the 
flesh  in  some  places  sloughing  from  his  bones.  Sub- 


254  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

sequently,  in  a  fit  of  intoxication,  he  was  lost  in  a 
wood,  and  when  found  was  insensible,  which  re- 
sulted in  a  long  and  painful  illness.  And  now  the 
point  to  be  specially  noticed  is,  that  all  these  com- 
plicated sufferings,  coming  on  him,  too,  as  the 
direct  consequence  of  his  sins,  as  direct  as  conse- 
quences can  ever  follow  sin  in  the  future  world,  had 
yet  no  apparent  power  to  reform  or  even  soften. 
Indeed,  the  only  effect  apparently  was  to  confirm 
him  still  more  and  more  in  his  iniquitous  conduct. 
But  this  was  not  the  only  result.  He  grew  corre- 
spondingly in  hatred  against  God,  whom  he  regarded 
as  inflicting  these  sufferings,  for  his  bad  habits 
brought  upon  him  at  length  a  complication  of  dis- 
orders, and  with  them  the  most  agonizing  torments, 
which  roused  all  the  malignity  of  his  nature.  He 
felt  that  he  was  in  the  hand  of  God,  and  that  what 
he  endured  was  His  visitation  upon  him;  but  this, 
instead  of  producing  anything  like  penitence  and 
submission,  only  awakened  still  more  the  hatred 
and  opposition  of  his  heart,  and,  like  the  ones  men- 
tioned in  Revelation,  he  could  only  ' '  curse ' '  the 
Almighty.  His  oaths  and  blasphemies  of  God  were 
dreadful.  In  the  very  midst  of  his  agonies  he  would 
throw  up  his  clenched  fists  in  an  attitude  of  defiance, 
and  calling  on  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  each  by  name,  heap  upon  them  the  most 
opprobrious  epithets,  and  curse  and  revile  them  as 
the  author  of  his  sufferings,  and  dare  them,  sever- 
ally and  collectively,  to  do  their  worst  upon  him. 
And  this  tirade  of  execration  and  blasphemy  of  the 


MORAL   EVIL:    ITS   FINAL   ISSUES.  255 

Almighty — these  violent  and  even  frantic  expres- 
sions of  hatred  and  contempt  would  go  on  for  hours 
until  his  strength  was  utterly  exhausted.* 

The  point  to  be  noticed  here  is,  that  suffering 
only  intensified  his  hatred  of  the  Almighty,  and  to 
all  appearance  this  will  be  its  only  influence  in  the 
future  world.  At  least  this  accords  with  our  obser- 
vation of  men.  Here  in  this  world  suffering  alone 
has  no  apparent  tendency  even  to  change  character 
for  the  better.  Indeed,  it  far  oftener  hardens  then 
softens.  Neither  bodily  anguish,  nor  the  pangs  of 
bereavement,  nor  the  emptiness  of  disappointment, 
nor  the  torments  of  remorse,  nor  all  combined,  lead 
men  to  love  and  serve  God;  and  even  with  the  vast 
majority  of  men  only  incite  to  additional  complaint 
and  rebellion.  This  accords  with  the  Bible.  Rev. 
ix  :  20,  21  reads,  "And  the  rest  of  the  men  which 
were  not  killed  by  these  plagues  yet  repented  not  of 
the  works  of  their  hands:  Neither  repented  they  of 
their  murders,  nor  of  their  fornication,  nor  of  their 
thefts." 

And  yet  multitudes  assume  that  suffering  is  to  be 
the  grand  agent  in  the  future  world  for  the  reforma- 
tion of  character.  But  why  any  more  efficacious 


*  It  was  intended  to  repress  his  exact  language,  as  being  too  horrible 
for  repetition;  but,  after  all,  it  is  needed  in  order  to  show  properly 
what  a  wicked  man  can  become.  His  exact  language  was,  "Come  on, 

God  Almighty,  you  d d  old  tyrant;  come  on,  you  young  Jesus;  come 

on,  old  Holy  Ghost;  old  Jed.  (Jedidiah)  is  enough  for  all  of  ye."  And 
he  is,  doubtless,  using  the  same  language  now,  like  those  mentioned  in 
Revelation,  who  blasphemed  the  God  of  Heaven  because  of  their 
plagues,  and  who  "repented  not  to  give  Him  glory."  This  gives  the 
true  idea  of  Hell— the  "  fire  and  brimstone  "  of  the  "  second  death." 


256  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

there  than  here?  And  if  it  fails  here,  why  not 
there  ?  The  principles  of  moral  government  cannot 
change;  the  laws  of  mind  cannot  change;  and  how, 
then,  can  the  suffering  which  was  powerless  here 
to  renovate  character  become  omnipotent  there? 
This  fact  should  be  remembered  that  tho  the  world 
is  filled  with  suffering,  and  all  are  made,  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent,  to  feel  the  bitter  consequences  of  sin, 
few  are  led  by  them  to  become  humble,  prayerful, 
and  holy,  and  few  are  drawn  by  them  any  nearer  to 
God  either  in  character  or  affection.  The  fact  is, 
the  reformation  of  character  by  mere  suffering  is 
impossible,  not  merely  in  this  world,  but  anywhere 
in  God's  universe.  The  very  nature  of  mind  for- 
bids it. 

Moreover,  let  it  be  noticed  that  in  securing  the 
reformation  of  a  sinner,  here  in  this  world,  suffer- 
ing is  only  a  single  element  employed.  To  lead  the 
sinner  to  give  up  his  sinfulness  and  submit  to  God, 
requires  goodness  with  severity,  and  that,  too,  in 
the  most  careful  combination.  It  requires  kindness 
to  be  mingled  with  chastisement,  making  ' '  the  way 
of  the  transgressor  hard  ' '  on  the  one  hand,  and  yet 
at  the  same  time  ' '  enduring  him  with  patience  and 
long  suffering"  on  the  other — just  that  nice  and 
delicate  adjustment  of  reformatory  influences  to  his 
peculiar  nature  and  disposition,  which  especially 
characterizes  his  earthly  probation. 

Also,  there  is  needed,  in  addition  to  this,  and  in 
connection  with  it,  the  influences  of  God's  Holy 
Spirit,  exerted  in  just  that  way  and  to  just  that  ex- 


MORAL   EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  257 

tent  which  shall  induce  and  persuade  to  the  utmost 
without  interfering  with  free  agency.  The  man 
must  be  induced  to  ' '  work  out  his  own  salvation ' ' 
with  absolute  freedom,  while  at  the  same  time  "  God 
works  in  him  ' '  by  his  Holy  Spirit.  And  this  entire 
combination  of  goodness  and  severity  and  the 
Spirit's  influences  must  be  set  in  operation  and  kept 
in  operation  with  all  the  energy  and  intensity,  and 
at  the  same  time  with  all  the  carefulness,  which  the 
God  of  Heaven  can  command,  in  order  to  save  a 
single  sinner;  and  even  then  the  declaration  is  that 
' '  the  righteous  are  scarcely  saved, ' '  coupled  also  with 
that  fearful  question  ' '  where, ' '  in  that  case,  ' '  shall 
the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  ?  ' '  And  now  it 
is  just  this  nice  adjustment,  this  delicate  combina- 
tion of  reformatory  influences,  and  this  intensity  of 
operation  on  the  part  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  which 
goes  to  make  up  this  earthly  probation;  and  if  this 
mighty  combination  of  renovating  influences  which 
God  tries  in  this  world  has  utterly  failed  of  its  object, 
why  should  it  be  assumed  that  mere  suffering  here- 
after will  effect  reformation  ? 

The  assumption,  therefore,  that  the  mere  suffer- 
ing which  follows  sin  in  another  state  of  being,  will 
break  up  sinful  habit,  contradicts  all  our  observa- 
tion here  in  this  world.  Here  men  evidently  resist 
it  all,  and  force  their  headlong  and  headstrong  way 
to  still  deeper  depths  in  sin,  and  to  an  ever  increas- 
ing distance  from  Go4,  and  holiness.  And  how 
feeble  must  be  the  influence  of  mere  suffering  in  the 
future  state  to  induce  them  to  return  to  God,  when 


258  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

they  have  resisted,  through  a  whole  lifetime,  the 
steady  pressure  of  such  a  probation. 

SEC.  14.  Nothing  can  be  done  with  the  sinner 
hereafter  but  to  confine  him  in  the  great  prison  house. 

1 .  There  would  be  nothing  gained  by  his  release. 
The  result  of  such  an  experiment  is  detailed  at 
length  in  Rev.  xxth  chapter,  where  the  devil,  after 
the  confinement  of  a  thousand  years,  the  moment 
he  was  released,  went  right  about  the  work  of  stir- 
ring up   the   nations   against   God  with  the  same 
energy,  persistency  and  malignity  as  before;  show- 
ing that  this  long  period  of  confinement  had  done 
nothing  to  improve  his  character  or  diminish  in  any 
degree  his  hatred  of  the  Almighty. 

2.  The  offer  of  salvation,  if  made  in  the  future 
world,    would  be   rejected.     Suppose   the  offer  of 
salvation  were  made  to  sinners  in  the  future  world, 
as  it  was  made  to  them  on  earth.     This  could  only 
be  done  on  condition  of  humiliation,  penitence  and 
brokenness  of  heart  for  sin;  for  certainly  no  less 
exacting  conditions  of  salvation  could  be  required 
of  them  than  were  required  on  earth.     Now  what 
reason  is  there  for  supposing  that  the  offer  would 
be  accepted  ? 

The  very  idea  of  penitential  sorrow  for  sin,  and 
the  acknowledgment  of  God's  justice  in  their  perdi- 
tion, and  that  they  were  truly  hell-deserving  sin- 
ners, would  be  met  by  them  with  the  intensest 
loathing  at  any  time  in  th^ir  future  history.  Miiv- 
TON  is  true  to  the  natural  workings  of  a  sinful 
heart  when  he  puts  it  into  the  mouth  of  the  fallen 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  259 

seraph,  "Better  to  reign  in  Hell  than  serve  in 
Heaven."  The  idea  to  a  sinner  in  perdition  of 
serving  God,  bowing  down  to  Him  in  humiliation, 
renouncing  pride  and  self  and  self-seeking,  and 
feeling  himself  nothing  in  His  sight,  and  cheerfully 
and  lovingly  acknowledging  Him  as  his  rightful 
Sovereign,  has  in  it,  to  a  sinful  mind,  the  most 
hateful  and  revolting  elements  conceivable,  and  he 
would  rather  endure  the  torments  of  perdition  than 
purchase  exemption  from  them  at  such  a  price. 
The  very  central  thought,  principle  and  determina- 
tion of  the  sinful  mind,  and  one  that  will  continue 
to  dominate  it  in  spite  of  any  and  all  experience  of 
suffering,  is  the  one  which  our  Savior  puts  into  the 
mouths  of  the  wicked  ' '  citizens  ' '  in  the  parable — 
' '  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us. ' ' 
(L,uke  xix:  14.) 

3.  The  doctrine  of  the  Annihilation  of  the  wicked 
rests  upon  no  defensible  foundation.  For — 

( i )  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  wicked  have  thus  far 
been  kept  in  existence.  Not  a  single  wicked  being 
has  as  yet  been  annihilated  that  we  know  of.  The 
devils  have  been  here  for  at  least  6,000  years,  very 
possibly  because  God  has  use  for  them  in  allowing 
them,  through  temptation,  to  soften  in  the  human 
soul  the  consciousness  of  guilt,  and  so  make  peni- 
tence a  more  hopeful  matter.  If  He  can  use  them 
for  some  good  purpose  for  another  6,000  years,  He 
will  undoubtedly  do  it;  and  then  for  another  6,000, 
and  then  another,  and  continue  doing  thus  as  long  as 
He  can  make  them  subserve  His  benevolent  purposes. 


260  THE  ORIGIN   OF  SIN. 

Moreover  the  ' '  legion ' '  of  devils,  possessing 
the  maniac  of  Gadara,  looked  forward  with  cer- 
tainty to  ' '  torments ' '  not  annihilation. 

(2)  The  wicked  deserve  endless  punishment.     It 
is  the  proper  penalty  of  God's  violated  I^aw.     This 
has  already  been  shown.     Now  if  God  should  pun- 
ish them  forever,  even  were  there  no  benevolent  end 
to  be  secured  by  their  continued  existence,  he  would 
do  them  no  injustice.     They  would  only  suffer  the 
just  punishment  of  their  sin. 

But  if  no  good  use  could  be  made  of  them — if  no 
great  interests  of  God's  Kingdom  could  be  secured 
by  the  prolongation  of  their  punishment,  then,  to 
all  appearance,  benevolence  could  demand  their 
annihilation  ;  for  why  make  them  suffer  for  nothing  ? 
But  if  the  continued  execution  of  penalty  upon 
them  is  necessary  in  order  to  maintain  the  perfec- 
tion of  the  Divine  Government,  or  if  the  authority 
of  God  as  the  great  Moral  Governor  can  in  no. 
other  way  be  sustained,  or  if  their  punishment  can 
be  used  as  a  warning  and  example  to  the  future 
universe  of  moral  beings  to  deter  them  from  trans- 
gression, or  if  the  general  welfare  can  in  any  way 
be  secured  by  their  continued  existence  in  perdi- 
tion, then  it  is  perfectly  right  and  proper  that  their 
punishment  should  be  prolonged  indefinitely. 

(3)  If  any  moral  being  is  ever  to  be  annihilated, 
the  question  is  a  very   natural  one,  Why  should 
he  have  been   created?      Why  create    such  a  be- 
ing at  all  when  it  was   distinctly   foreseen    that 
his  existence  would  result  in  nothing  satisfactory 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  26 1 

— that  no  desirable  object  would  be  secured  by  his 
creation  ? 

(4)  But  the  great,  underlying  fact,  and  one  that 
covers  the  entire  ground  is — That  the  perfect  moral 
government  of  God  demands  the  endless  punish- 
ment of  sin,  as  the  only  proper  penalty  for  its  com- 
mission.    God  could    threaten   nothing  less  than 
this  without  impairing  the  perfection  of  his  moral 
administration.     In  no  other  way  could  he  convey  to 
His  moral  universe  a  truthful  conception  of  the  dread- 
ful nature  of  sin  or  His  own  abhorrence  of  it.     Any 
punishment  threatened,  therefore,  less  than  endless, 
would  falsify  His  character,  ruin  His  authority,  and 
desolate  His  moral  universe.     This  has  been  abun- 
dantly shown  in  a  previous  connection;  and  for  this 
reason,  the  annihilation  of  the  wicked  is  impossible. 

(5)  All  the  passages  in  the  Bible  adduced  in  proof 
of  this  doctrine,  can  be  explained  on  other  princi- 
ples— either  as  designed  to  show,  by  strong  figura- 
tive expressions,   the  utter  extinction  of   all   the 
power  of  the  wicked  in  their  opposition  to  God,  and 
in  their  attempt  to  crush  his  chosen  people  Israel; 
or,  to  depict,  by  the  most  fearful  terms  possible,  the 
terrors  of  God's  wrath  in  the  future  world.     For 
example: 

' '  The  enemies  of  the  Lord  shall  be  as  the  fat  of 
rams;  they  shall  consume;  into  smoke  shall  they 
consume  away."  (Ps.  xxxvii  :  20.)  This1  Psalm 
was  written  for  the  encouragement  of  God's  Israel 
when  exposed  to  the  rage  and  malice  of  their  ene- 
mies, and  contains  not  a  single  necessary  reference 


262  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

to  a  future  state;  and  this  particular  declaration 
implies  that  the  enemies  of  God,  and  those  opposed 
to  Hun,  and  working  against  Him,  and  especially 
those  assailing  His  chosen  people,  would  have  their 
power  utterly  annihilated,  and  be  of  no  more  ac- 
count than  the  smoke  of  a  burnt  sacrifice. 

"They  shall  be  as  tho  they  had  not  been." 
(Obad.  1 6.)  This  is  taken  from  the  vision  of  the 
Prophet  respecting  Edom;  and  is  the  threatening  of 
destruction  against  the  Edomites  and  their  land  for 
their  unkindness  to  Israel,  and  has  no  necessary  or 
probable  reference  to  the  future  world. 

"Who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  de- 
struction from  the  presence  of  the  L,ord  and  the 
glory  of  His  power."  (2  Thes.  i :  7.)  And  what 
is  endless  punishment  but  the  ' '  everlasting  destruc- 
tion "  of  all  happiness  and  hope  and  all  well  being, 
as  well  as  eternal  banishment  from  God.  The 
passage  can  be  made  to  mean  with  certainty  no 
more  than  this. 

That  immortality  is  a  peculiar  gift  to  the  righteous 
alone,  on  the  ground  of  repentance  and  faith,  and 
does  not  belong  to  mind  by  virtue  of  its  nature,  is 
neither  asserted  nor  implied  in  a  single  passage  in 
the  Word  of  God;  and  the  doctrine  of  Conditional 
Immortality  is  a  pure  assumption,  resting  on  no  de- 
fensible foundation. 

' '  But  what  is  the  propriety  of  calling  the  doom 
of  the  sinner  the  '  second  death, '  if  it  be  not  the  ex- 
tinction of  being  ?"  Answer: 

In  the  expressions  death,   destruction,   chains, 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  263 

fire  and  brimstone,  and  the  undying  worm,  Inspira- 
tion is  using  the  most  fearful  terms  men  know  of, 
to  express  the  terribleness  of  Hell;  even  as  the 
pearly  gates  and  golden  streets  are  used  to  depict 
the  glory  of  Heaven;  and  as  natural  death  is  the 
termination  of  life  on  earth,  and  ends  all  its  joys 
and  expectations  and  hopes  and  plans,  and  ever 
stands  before  men  the  darkest  and  most  dreary  and 
dreadful  of  all  earthly  experiences,  so,  on  account 
of  the  darkness,  dreariness,  and  dreadfulness  of  the 
sinner's  doom,  and  the  utter  extinction  of  all  happi- 
ness and  hope  to  him,  it  is  appropriately  termed  the 
' '  second  death  ' '  without  necessarily  implying  at  all 
the  extinction  of  existence.* 


*  But  another  dodlrine  has  been  derived  from  this  Scripture  expres- 
sion "  the  second  death,"  viz.,  a  kind  of  "  moral  annihilation,"  not  the 
extinction  of  being  by  Divine  power,  but  a  wearing  out  and  ' '  collapse  " 
of  all  mental  activity,  and  of  all  personal  consciousness.  It  has  been 
expressed  thus,  "  the  darkening  of  the  mind,  the  hardening  of  the 
sensibilities,  the  searing  of  the  conscience,  the  weakening  of  the  will ; " 
"the  stagnation  and  collapse  of  the  mental  powers,  in  which  reason, 
sensibility,  conscience,  and  will  go  down  together." 

The  objection  to  this  dodlrine  is  twofold:  It  is  a  pure  hypothesis, 
with  no  substantial  evidence  in  support  of  it;  and,  moreover,  is  opposed 
to  the  entire  representations  of  the  Scriptures. 

i.  It  is  a  pure  hypothesis  unsupported  by  any  conclusive  evidence. 

(1)  The  Scripture  expression,  mainly  relied  upon  as  proof,    "the 
second  death,"  can  be  certainly  made  to  mean  no  more  than  the  mean- 
ing given  it  above. 

(2)  It  is  asserted  secondly  as  proof :    That  the  soul  of    a   sinful 
being  grows  in  insensibility  to  its  own  sinfulness,  and  to  sin  generally. 
But  to  infer  that  increasing  insensibility  to  sin  will  certainly  result  in 
total  mental  inactivity,  a  total  "  collapse  "  of  all  the  mental  powers,  is 
a  non-sequitur — one  does  not  appear  to  follow  necessarily  or  even 
certainly  from  the  other.    It  appears  entirely  conceivable  that  increas- 
ing insensibility  to  sin  may  be  accompanied  by  increasing  hatred  of 
God,  and  a  more  and  more  active  and  determined  opposition  to  Him 
and  His  government.    The  Devil  has  been  acting  out  his  wickedness  in 
opposing  God  and  tempting  men  for  six   thousand   years,  with    no 


264  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

4.  Endless  freedom  while  sinning  impossible.  If 
the  wicked  can  neither  be  reformed  nor  annihilated, 
can  they  not  be  allowed  to  range  the  universe  at 
will  and  work  out  their  wickedness  unchecked,  any- 
where and  everywhere,  forever  ?  This  would  make 


apparent  diminution  of  activity.  In  fact,  he  may  only  have  been  gain- 
ing in  effectiveness  by  experience,  and  be  able  now  to  accomplish  far 
more  in  the  same  time,  in  the  line  of  wickedness,  than  when  he  first 
started  in  Eden. 

And  our  observation  on  the  experience  of  the  wicked  in  this  world 
perfectly  accords  with  this  view.  Men  never  appear  to  lose  mental 
activity  by  sinning, -except  when  the  sinful  indulgence  enfeebles  the 
body.  In  all  other  cases,  the  more  they  sin,  the  more  intense  becomes 
their  activity  in  sinning.  And  even  when  suffering  attends  the  sinful 
course,  it  appears  to  have  no  power  to  deter  them  from  following  it. 
The  further  they  go,  and  the  more  they  suffer,  the  more  energetically 
do  they  choose  their  sin  and  suffering.  And  in  this  purpose  to  sin, 
and  to  keep  on  sinning,  there  is  developed  a  tremendous  and  increas- 
ing power  both  of  will  and  of  mental  activity  generally — nothing  what- 
ever resembling  a  "  collapse  "  of  the  mental  powers.  The  hypothesis 
rests,  therefore,  on  no  defensible  foundation. 

2.  It  is  opposed    to    the  whole  tenor  of  the  Scriptures.    The  only 
representation  in  the  Bible  is,  that  the  experience  of  the  wicked  after 
death  is  one  of  conscious  suffering ;  or,  as  the  Bible  expresses  it,  of 
"torment.''1    The  rich  man  in  the  parable  was  in  Gormen.?,  and  so  in- 
tense as  to  beg  for  a  single  drop  of  water  by  way  of  alleviating  it,  and 
even  this  refused.    Also  the  expressions  "  torment "  and  "  tormented  " 
are  used  in  this  Bible  eight  times  in  direct  reference  to  the  experience 
of  the  wicked  after  death.    The  Beast  and  the  False  Prophet  were  to  be 
"  tormented  day  and  night  forever  and  ever  "  (Rev.xx  :  10)  ,•  not  an- 
nihilated in  any  sense  whatever.    There  is  not  an  expression  in  the 
Bible  that  tends  to  convey  the  impression,  even  by  the  remotest  im- 
plication, that  the  experience  of  the  sinner  in  the  future  world  will 
terminate  in  insensibility.    Its  only  representation  is  that  of  conscious 
suffering. 

So  far,  therefore,  as  the  Bible  refers  at  all  to  the  experience  of  the 
wicked  after  death,  it  teaches  only  their  continued  consciousness  ,'  and 
the  idea  of  a  "  mental  and  moral  collapse,"  and  of  entire  insensibility 
as  the  result  of  continued  sinning,  is  only  a  matter  of  human  specula- 
tion, not  only  not  drawn  from  the  Bible,  but  entirely  contrary  to  the 
general  impression  it  is  calculated  to  convey. 

3.  Thirdly.    "  Anything  not  clearly  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  has  no 
place  in  Christian  faith." 


MORAL   EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  265 

a  universal  hell,  to  which  the  hell  of  the  Bible  would 
be  comparatively  an  insignificant  matter. 

5.  If,  therefore,  the  sinner  can  neither  be  re- 
formed, nor  annihilated,  nor  allowed  to  roam  at 
large,  his  endless  confinement  is  the  only  thing  re- 
maining ;  and  it  becomes  certain  and  inevitable  in 
this  twofold  aspect — that  nothing  more  can  be  done 
for  him,  and  nothing  else  can  be  done  with  him. 

SEC.   15.  Benevolence  of  the  Moral  System. 

Why,  then,  have  a  moral  system  at  all  ?  If  it  be 
distinctly  foreseen  that  such  a  system  will  be  end- 
lessly burdened  with  sin  and  suffering,  why  not  dis- 
pense with  it  altogether  ?  How  is  the  permission  of 
such  a  system  consistent  with  the  benevolence  of 
God  ?  Answer : 

i .  Holiness  and  consequent  happiness  are  as  valu- 
able in  the  way  of  good,  as  sin  and  consequent  misery 
are  bad  in  the  way  of  evil ;  and  the  one  as  important 
to  be  secured  as  the  other  to  be  prevented. 

But,  futhermore,  in  an  endless  universe  the  con- 
ditions of  the  future  will  be,  to  all  appearance, 
these  :  On  the  one  hand  there  will  be  endless  suffer- 
ing from  the  incursions  of  sin,  yet  not  increasing  in 
magnitude,  and  sinful  beings  not  increasing  in 
number  ;  on  the  other,  endless  holiness  and  happi- 
ness, increasing  endlessly.  And  now,  would  it  be 
benevolent  in  the  Almighty  to  sacrifice  the  holiness 
and  happiness  of  an  endless  universe,  endlessly  en- 
larging, to  the  wickedness  of  the  comparatively  few 
who  choose  rebellion,  and  who  alone  are  responsible 
for  their  sufferings?  This  would  be  contrary  to 


266  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SItf. 

the  commonest  dictates  of  common  sense.  Common 
sense  decides,  in  all  human  affairs,  that  a  man 
should  ever  do  that  which  is,  on  the  whole,  for  the 
best.  Why  should  not  God  ? 

This  the  present  theory  represents  him  as  doing 
— doing  ever  the  best  thing,  and  working  ever  in 
the  direction  of  holiness  and  salvation. 

2.  Sin  has  invaded  the  moral  universe,  and  is 
threatening  to  desolate  it  forever,  and  something 
must  be  done  with  it.     Either  the  universe  must 
suffer  from  its  unrestrained  prevalence,  or  those 
committing  it  must  suffer  from  confinement  in  the 
great  prison-house,  just  as  the  inmates  of  our  jails 
and  penitentiaries  suffer.      Any  way,  it  is  better 
that  the  few  suffer  than  the  many  ;  and  the  endless 
confinement    of    the    sinner    becomes  benevolent, 
therefore,  for  the  reason  that  it  reduces  to  the  mini- 
mum the  necessary  sufferings  of  a  universe  which 
sin  has  invaded. 

3.  The  uhf alien  angels  have  all  been  kept  true  to 
God  and  duty,  creating  thus  the  strong  probability, 
even  the  almost  certainty,  that  a  point  will  eventu- 
ally be  reached  when  all  newly  created  beings  can 
be  confirmed  in  obedience  to  God  without  the  per- 
sonal   experience    of  transgression,   thus    making 
the  moral  universe  to  be  advancing  ever  in  the  di- 
rection of  holiness  and  happiness,  and  in  the  only 
way  possible. 

In  this  view,  a  period  will  eventually  be  reached 
when  all  the  sin  and  misery  of  the  universe  will  be- 
come infinitesimal  as  compared  with  its  holiness 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  267 

and  happiness  ;  so  that  with  all  this  grievous  draw- 
back of  endless  sin  and  misery,  the  present  moral 
system,  will  appear  to  be  just  infinitely  better  than 
none  at  all,  and  God's  character  be  vindicated  be- 
fore all  worlds  as  being  that  of  infinite  and  perfect 
benevolence. 

But  furthermore — 

4.  This  whole  matter  of  Endless  Punishment  has 
its  foundation  in  principles  of  moral  government 
which,  in  the  workings  of  human  governments,  are 
everywhere  recognized  as  wholly  and  entirely 
benevolent. 

For  example — In  all  human  relations  the  obliga- 
tion of  the  government  to  threaten  and  execute 
penalty,  is  measured  by  the  welfare  and  happiness  of 
those  who  come  rightly  under  its  protection.  The 
peace  and  order  of  the  family  are  secured  solely  by 
paternal  authority  enforced;  and  the  most  unhappy 
and  the  least  prosperous  families  are  those  the  most 
poorly  governed.  So  in  the  state.  No  one  thing 
is  so  essential  to  its  prosperity  as  a  stable  adminis- 
tration of  the  government.  If  there  be  any  failure 
in  the  thoroughness  and  perfection  of  its  working, 
every  interest  surfers.  And  the  suffering  and  the 
mischief  are,  as  a  general  thing,  exactly  propor- 
tioned to  the  extent  of  its  inefficiency,  even  as  the 
prosperity  is  proportioned  to  the  thoroughness  and 
completeness  of  its  sway. 

Therefore,  the  worst  thing  conceivable  in  the  gov- 
ernments of  this  world  is  the  powerlessness  of  law, 
and  the  leaders  of  a  riot  are  shot  and  bayoneted  in 


268  THE   ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

the  public  streets  without  mercy,  and  men  feel  that 
law  and  order,  even  at  this  price,  are  cheaply  pur- 
chased. And  no  matter  what  may  be  the  sacrifice 
necessary  to  secure  the  supremacy  of  law,  the  con- 
viction of  all  good  men  is  that  it  pays.  Any  sacrifice 
of  property  or  life  even,  be  it  only  necessary  to 
save  the  government  from  contempt,  and  secure 
the  proper  influence  of  law  and  authority,  is 
made  at  once,  even  from  the  merest  dictates  of 
benevolence. 

Also  any  degree  of  punishment  which  human  law 
can  inflict,  be  it  only  necessary  to  sustain  the  influ- 
ence of  law  and  authority,  is-  regarded,  the  world 
over,  as  benevolent;  so  that  the  stability  of  govern- 
ment becomes  the  end  to  which  all  other  interests 
are  made  subordinate  and  subservient. 

The  bearing  of  this  great  principle,  so  universally 
recognized,  upon  the  matter  of  future  punishment, 
is  clearly  evident.  Could  it  be  demonstrated  that 
the  supremacy  of  God's  law  in  His  universe  through 
endless  ages  could  be  secured  only  by  the  endless 
punishment  of  the  transgressors  of  it,  then  the  per- 
fect benevolence  of  even  this  tremendous  evil  would 
be  also  perfectly  demonstrated.  For  the  punish- 
ment and  the  suffering  of  the  violators  of  God's 
great  law  to  any  extent,  even  that  of  endless  pun- 
ishment, is  not  by  any  means  the  worst  thing. 
Endless  contempt  of  law  in  an  endless  universe,  in 
the  utter  disorder  and  awful  terror,  and  mighty 
suffering  that  would  follow  it,  would  be  inconceiv- 
ably more  dreadful.  And  even  as  jails,  penitenti- 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  269 

aries  and  prisons  are  benevolent  in  the  limited  and 
inferior  interests  of  human  governments,  and  be- 
cause indispensable  to  keep  down  the  tendencies  to 
human  license  and  lawlessness,  are  felt  to  be  the 
necessary  safeguards  of  the  public  welfare,  so,  on 
the  loftier  field  of  God's  administration,  where 
this  same  tendency  exists — where  the  inclination  to 
throw  off  the  restraints  of  law,  growing  out  of  the 
conscious  freedom  and  independence  of  the  moral 
agent,  is  ever  the  terrible  emergency  to  be  met  and 
counteracted,  and  which,  we  have  every  reason  to 
believe,  will  exist  forever,  even  the  great  prison- 
house  of  Hell,  considered  as  the  place  of  punish- 
ment for  the  incorrigibly  wicked,  is,  even  upon  the 
grounds  of  human  reason,  a  necessary  and  indispens- 
able, and  therefore  benevolent  arrangement.  For  be 
it  remembered,  that  the  endless  suffering  of  all  the 
sinners  in  God's  dominions  who  will  finally  be  pun- 
ished, as  compared  to  the  misery  of  unrestrained 
rebellion,  would  only  be  as  a  drop  to  the  ocean. 

Endless  punishment,  therefore,  becomes  the  lot 
of  all  who  dare  go  into  eternity  unforgiven.  Not 
because  God  desires  their  perdition,  for  He  is  "not 
willing  that  any  should  perish."  Not  because  He 
does  not  rather  infinitely  desire  their  salvation,  for 
He  has  made  an  infinite  sacrifice  to  render  it  pos- 
sible, and  now,  as  He  says,  "will  have  all  men  to 
be  saved."  Not  because  He  has  left  any  thing 
unattempted  in  the  work  of  human  recovery,  or 
could  do,  properly  and  consistently,  in  this  direc- 
tion, any  thing  more  than  He  has  done,  for  His 


270  -      THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

declaration  is  clear  and  explicit:  "What  could 
have  been  done  more  to  my  vineyard  that  I  have 
not  done  in  it  ?  " 

The  only  reason  why  any  one  is  lost  is,  he  will 
not  be  saved.  He  will  not  give  up  his  sin.  He 
loves  it  and  clings  to  it.  He  puts  the  follies  and 
vanities  of  the  world  in  the  place  of  the  immortal 
crown.  He  resolutely  pushes  away  the  realities  of 
death,  judgment  and  eternity  from  his  view,  even 
though  he  knows  he  will  soon  meet  them.  Espe- 
cially he  loves  his  own  way,  and  is  determined  to  have 
it,  even  though  he  dares  by  it  the  wrath  of  God. 

SEC.  1 6.      Objections. 

i.  The  common  objection,  and  which  is  accepted 
by  multitudes  as  a  finality  to  all  reasoning  is, 
' '  Would  you  punish  your  child  eternally  ?  and  is 
not  God  more  kind  to  His  children  than  any  earthly 
parent  ? ' ' 

This  objection  overlooks  the  fact  that  God  is  not 
merely  a  Father,  but  the  Moral  Governor  of  the 
universe,  and  the  responsible  Guardian  of  its  wel- 
fare. The  objection,  therefore,  amounts  to  this — 
that  if  an  earthly  parent  were  also  a  judge,  and  his 
own  son  were  brought  before  him  convicted  of  wil- 
ful murder  he  should  let  him  off  because  he  is  his 
child,  and  so  sacrifice  the  welfare  of  the  community 
to  parental  fondness.  All  are  God's  children,  and 
the  moral  universe  a  single  family;  and  the  real, 
practical  question  is,  Whether  He  shall  sacrifice  the 
whole  family  to  the  comparatively  few  who  rebel 
against  Him. 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  271 

Of  course,  no  man  would  punish  his  own  child 
eternally,  for  there  is  no  necessity  for  it.  No  such 
tremendous  necessities  environ  the  management  of 
a  single  little  family  for  a  few  days  on  earth,  as  apper- 
tain to  the  vast  empire  of  Jehovah,  extending  over  all 
worlds,  and  whose  foundations  of  law  and  penalty 
must  be  laid  deep  enough  and  strong  enough  to 
stand  the  pressure  of  endless  ages,  and  bear  up  an 
endless  universe.  It  is  these  infinite  and  eternal 
necessities  which  determine  the  duration  of  punish- 
ment in  the  moral  government  of  God. 

2.  One  has  been  heard  to  say,  "  If  my  friends  are 
to  be  lost,  I  should  desire  to  be  with  them."  This 
assumes  that  companions  in  the  world  of  retribution 
may  be  a  comfort  to  each  other,  which  is  impossible. 

' '  The  rich  man  ' '  in  the  parable  had  no  wish  that 
his  ' '  five  brethren ' '  should  ' '  come  into  the  same 
place  of  torment ' '  with  himself. 

The  parent  will  shrink  from  the  sight  of  his  lost 
children,  led  to  destruction  through  his  influence, 
and  the  lost  children  will  shrink  from  the  sight  of 
their  godless  parents  who  made  no  efforts  for  their 
salvation. 

We  love  the  members  of  our  own  family  here  on 
earth,  on  the  ground  of  natural  affection,  irrespect- 
ive of  character.  But  when  all  earthly  relations 
and  conditions  have  ceased,  then,  if  holy  ourselves, 
we  must  be  repelled  by  a  wicked  character  even  as 
God  is.  A  Christian  in  Heaven  can  no  more  love  a 
wicked  character  than  God  can.  There  can  be  no 
friendship,  therefore,  in  the  future  world  except 


272  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

among  the  holy,  and  the  wish  expressed  to  be  with 
friends  who  are  lost,  and  are  enemies  of  God,  is 
unnatural  and  monstrous.  God's  friendship  is  worth 
infinitely  more  than  that  of  all  our  earthly  friends, 
or  the  universe  besides. 

3.  But  says  another,  "  How  can  I  be  happy,  even 
in  Heaven,  knowing  that  my  friends  are  suffering  ?  " 
Answer:  With  his  present  views  of  things  this 
would  be  imposible,  for  only  two  things  are  in  his 
thought — his  friend,  for  one  thing,  and  the  suffer- 
ings of  that  friend  for  another.  How  that  friend 
came  to  be  where  he  is,  who  inflicts  the  suffering, 
and  the  necessity  for  its  infliction,  are  all  left  out  of 
the  account — not  even  thought  of.  But  should  he 
reach  Heaven,  his  field  of  view  will  be  greatly 
changed  and  enlarged.  He  will  see  things  there 
which  now  he  entirely  overlooks. 

(i)  He  will  apprehend,  as  he  does  not  now,  the 
enormity  of  the  sin  of  which  that  friend  was  guilty — 
how,  during  his  life  on  earth,  he  maintained  the 
position  of  rebellion  against  the  Great  Jehovah — the 
God  of  Heaven,  his  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Bene- 
factor, even  his  best  Friend.  That  he  slighted  His 
love,  abused  His  mercy,  and  treated  Him  with  neg- 
lect and  contempt. 

That  he  slighted  the  great  sacrifice  of  the  Son  of 
God,  trampled  on  His  blood,  and  turned  away  in 
coldness  and  contempt  from  Him  who  had  given 
His  precious  life  that  he  might  be  forgiven. 

That  he  resisted  the  strivings  of  the  blessed 
Spirit,  who  had  followed  him  day  after  day,  trying 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  273 

with  infinite  patience  and  love  to  lead  him  to  repent- 
ance. 

Finally,  that  he  had  hardened  his  heart  against 
all  the  efforts  of  God  in  the  way  of  judgment  and 
mercy  to  lead  him  to  give  up  his  sin  and  be  saved. 
All  these  sins  of  his  friend  will  so  tower  up  in  their 
enormity  and  heinousness  that  he  will  cease  to 
wonder  at  his  condition  of  punishment. 

(2)  He  will  see  with  clearness  and  distinctness 
the  justice  of  his  punishment,   and  that  however 
severe  and  protracted  it  may  be,  it  is  only  what  he 
justly  deserves  for  his  impiety.     Also — 

(3)  Beyond  the  mere  justice  of  his  punishment,  he 
will  see  that  there  is  an  inevitable  necessity  that  he 
be  thus  punished — that  God  is   inflicting  on   him, 
not  only  the  punishment  that  he  deserves,  but  that  it 
is  only  what  a  perfect  moral  government  absolutely 
requires  and   demands.      And  when  he  sees  that 
either  his  wicked  friends  must  be  punished  as  they 
deserve,  or  the  throne  and  government  of  God  go 
down  in  ruin,  it  will  greatly  change  his  views  of 
things,  and  he  will  see  that  the  punishment  is  dic- 
tated only  by  benevolence  and  a  wise  regard  for 
the  universal  welfare. 

(4)  He  will  see  too  with  an  awful  distinctness, 
that  will  silence  all  murmurings  and  complainings 
and  fault-findings,  that  for  his  own  sinfulness  he 
deserves  a  punishment  equally  severe,  and  that  he 
is  saved  from  it  only  by  the  infinite  mercy  and  love 
of  God ;  so  that  he  will  only  be  filled  with  over- 
powering emotions  of  gratitude  and  love  that  he 


274  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

has  himself  been  saved  from  the  same  dreadful 
doom.  Why  he  does  not  know.  It  will  be  enough 
for  him  that  God  knows. 

4.  ' '  The  sins  of  so  short  a  period  as  human  life, 
cannot  merit  an  eternity  of  punishment. ' '  A  recent 
writer  very  concisely  and  satisfactorily  answers  this 
objection  thus — "  Human  law  never  measures  pen- 
alty by  the  time  occupied  in  crime.  One  second 
suffices  for  a  young  man  of  twenty  to  pull  the 
trigger  which  insures  a  murder ;  and  the  law  im- 
prisons him  for  life.  Is  that  just?  Certainly,  re- 
plies a  common-sense  community.  The  time  occupied 
in  the  crime  is  no  element  in  the  guilt  whatever, 
any  more  than  the  color  or  material  of  the  criminal's 
clothes,  or  the  price  paid  for  the  pistol.  The 
malignity  of  his  purpose,  the  horrible  result  of  his 
act,  and  the  influence  of  such  deeds  to  deprave 
public  morals,  and  to  destroy  law,  order,  safety  and 
happiness,  are  the  elements  which  are  taken  into 
the  account  in  affixing  the  penalty.  This  is  plain 
enough  in  human  legislation  ;  why  do  men  stumble 
at  the  application  of  the  same  principle  in  the  Divine 
government?  How  unjust,  exclaims  the  Univer- 
salist,  to  exclude  a  man  forever  from  the  glory  and 
joy  of  Heaven,  for  the  sins  of  a  short  life  on  earth  ? 
There  is  the  same  fallacy  as  in  the  other  case. 
Time  occupied  in  commission  is  not  the  measure  of 
sin,  but  the  disposition  of  the  heart,  as  seen  in  the 
character  and  tendency  of  the  selfish  principle 
which  defies  God,  subverts  His  law,  and  tramples 
upon  universal  interests.  The  sinner  who  will  not 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  275 

be  reclaimed  by  God's  patience,  and  Christ's  dying 
love,  during  the  gracious  probation  allowed  in  this 
world,  will  justly  be  pronouned  a  condemned  rebel, 
worthy  of  eternal  separation  from  the  good,  and  of 
confinement  in  the  prison  of  the  universe. ' '  To  this 
we  add,  that  whenever  the  sin  of  a  moral  being  is,  to 
the  Omniscient  mind,  certain  and  inveterate  notwith- 
standing all  possible  influences  for  its  prevention, 
a  brief  probation  becomes  correspondingly  merciful. 

Doubtless  in  the  case  of  every  one  who  is  finally 
lost,  a  longer  probation  than  God  gave  him,  would 
only  have  resulted  in  an  increase  of  guilt,  remorse 
and  punishment,  and  it  was  an  adt  of  mercy  to  him 
that  his  probation  was  not  lengthened. 

5.  "A  finite  being  cannot  commit  an  infinite  sin, 
and,  therefore,  cannot  deserve  unlimited  punish- 
ment." This  objection  measures  the  guilt  and 
ill-desert  of  sin  solely  by  the  nature  of  the  sinner. 
But  why  is  it  not  as  correctly  measured  by  the  law 
that  is  broken,  the  God  that  is  sinned  against,  and 
the  eternal  interests  assailed  by  it?  This  is  God's 
standard  of  measurement,  as  He  says,  ' '  that  sin  by 
the  commandment  might  become  exceeding  sinful." 
(Rom.  vii :  13.) 

In  this  case,  the  low  and  inadequate  standard 
adopted,  is  what  makes  unlimited  punishment  ap- 
pear inconsistent.  Only  get  the  standard  of  meas- 
urement correcl:,  and  sin  rises,  at  once,  to  a  limitless 
magnitude,  even  as  the  law  broken  is  that  of  the 
Infinite  One;  and  unlimited  punishment  becomes  its 
only  appropriate  penalty. 


276  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN.  " 

6.  "  All  punishment  is  for  the  reformation  of  the 
offender,  and  cannot  therefore  be  endless. ' ' 

This  is  never  the  primary  design  of  punishment, 
even  in  human  government ;  for  the  penalty  for 
crime  is  threatened  beforehand,  with  no  knowledge 
of  the  character  of  the  offender,  or  what  peculiar 
treatment  may  be  best  calculated  to  reclaim  him;  so 
that  his  reformation  is  merely  an  incidental  and 
secondary  matter  ;  valuable,  of  course,  wherever  it 
can  be  secured.  But  the  primary  design  of  punish- 
ment everywhere,  is  to  uphold  the  majesty  of  law, 
and  secure  the  stability  of  government  for  the  pro- 
tection of  society.  In  the  government  of  God,  it  is 
designed  to  secure  the  permanence  of  His  moral 
administration,  and  the  safety  of  His  intelligent 
creation;  and  in  comparison  with  this,  the  reforma- 
tion of  the  offender,  however  desirable  in  itself,  is 
of  vastly  inferior  consequence. 

7.  "A  progressive  system,    like  ours,  will  cure 
itself. ' '     The  advocates  of  progression  assume  sin  to 
be  due  to  unavoidable  ignorance  and  inexperience, 
and  only  what  might  be  expedled   in   the  earlier 
stages  of  the  system.     And  furthermore,  that,  with 
the  progress  of  the  system,  all  moral  disorder  will, 
at  length,  be  arrested,  and  the  whole  universe  be- 
come holy  and  happy. 

First — Anything  called  sin  which  is  yet  properly 
due  to  the  unavoidable  ignorance  of  right  and  wrong, 
is  not  sin,  and  has  in  it  no  element  of  sinfulness; 
for  this  unavoidable  ignorance  is  a  good  and  suffi- 
cient excuse  for  the  resulting  conduct;  and  that  for 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  277 

which  a  good  excuse  can  be^  rendered,  cannot  be 
sin. 

Secondly — A  progressive  system  may  yet  contain 
forever  both  sin  and  suffering.  The  system  devel- 
oped in  these  pages  is  a  progressive  one,  and  meets 
all  the  evidence  of  progression  existing.  It  com- 
mences with  the  creation  of  matter,  then  reaches 
the  creation  of  a  single  race  of  beings,  and  then 
goes  on  expanding  and  enlarging  endlessly.  No 
conceivable  system  can  be  more  completely  a  pro- 
gressive one.  And  yet,  be  it  noticed,  the  possibility 
of  this  progression  is  made  to  rest  on  the  very  fact 
that  sin  not  repented  of  shall  receive  its  appropriate 
and  endless  punishment. 

A  progressive  system,  therefore,  does  not  neces- 
sarily result  in  the  entire  eradication  from  itself  of 
sin  and  suffering;  and,  although  the  present  system 
is  clearly  a  progressive  one,  it  may  still,  upon  the 
ground  of  human  reason,  contain  within  itself  the 
endless  punishment  of  sin. 

8.  It  is  objected  that  the  infliction  of  endless  pen- 
alty renders  the  character  of  the  Almighty  unlovely 
and  repulsive,  and  therefore,  the  doctrine  cannot  be 
true. 

It  is  seldom  that  this  point  is  more  forcibly  treated 
than  by  REV.  R.  S.  STORKS,  D.D.,  upon  the  expres- 
sion of  the  Scripture — "Our  God  is  a  consuming 
fire;  "  as  quoted  in  the  Advance  of  May  29,  1873,  of 
which  the  following  is  an  abstract: 

' '  To  some  this  sentence  appears  so  objectionable 
that  they  absolutely  deny  it.  Our  God,  they  say, 


278  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

is  all  gentleness  and  wisdom,  grace  and  beauty.  He 
reveals  Himself  to  us  in  the  beautiful  and  benign 
aspedls  of  nature,  in  the  quiet  and  beautiful  prog- 
ress of  society,  and  in  the  silent  and  beneficent 
forces  working  through  its  great  frame.  Our  God 
reveals  Himself  to  us  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  is 
His  best  representative  on  earth,  full  of  grace  and 
truth,  comforting  the  mourning,  taking  up  little 
children  in  His  arms  and  blessing  them,  and  ever 
teaching  in  parables  full  of  beauty  and  the  grace  of 
nature.  This  is  our  God,  and  if  your  God  is  a 
'consuming  fire,'  we  will  have  none  of  Him. 
Tear  out  this  obnoxious  text  from  the  Scripture! 
It  controverts  reason,  makes  faith  absurd,  makes 
glad  obedience  to  Him  a  matter  impossible. 

"Well,  this  is  one  way  of  treating  the  matter. 
And  if  there  is  any  thing  in  this  other  representa- 
tion of  God  which  is  inconsistent  with  these  benefi- 
cent revelations  of  Him,  we  will  reverently  lay  this 
aside  as  containing  a  truth  as  yet  unintelligible  to 
us,  and  for  the  full  understanding  of  which  we  must 
wait  till  the  higher  life  of  the  future  makes  it  plain 
to  our  souls.  But  is  it  irreconcilable?  Is  it  not 
true  that  because  God  is  wisdom  and  gentleness  and 
love  and  peace,  that  therefore,  He  is,  to  those  essen- 
tially opposed  to  Him  in  spirit,  '  a  consuming  fire, ' 
and  that  He  must  be  so  by  the  very  constitution  of 
His  being  ?  How  numerous  are  illustrations  of  this 
principle  ! 

"Take  the  enlightened  conscience,  and  if  you 
wrong  its  promptings,  how  remorse  turns  upon  the 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  279 

soul  like  a  scorpion  stinging  itself!  Take  love,  the 
mightiest  power  of  the  universe,  and  which  is  the 
inspiration  of  everything  that  is  best  in  the  human 
conducl;  take  love  in  its  purest  form,  the  love  of 
the  mother  for  her  child.  There  is  nothing  but 
sweetness,  pathos,  beauty  in  that.  Suppose  her 
purely,  tenderly  nurtured  boy  comes  in  contact  with 
a  vicious  companion  who  tries  to  teach  him  obscen- 
ity, blasphemy,  theft  and  falsehood.  One  day  the 
mother's  heart  is  grieved  by  hearing  some  word  of 
profanity  from  his  lips;  she  remonstrates  with  the 
vicious  lad.  But  if  he  continues  in  his  endeavors 
to  contaminate  her  child,  is  that  mother's  heart 
patient  and  cool  under  the  injury?  or  does  her  love 
flame  into  wrath,  and  a  moral  indignation,  as  tre- 
mendous as  the  love  has  been — a  love  turning  to  a 
wrath,  which,  if  it  should  utter  itself  in  appropriate 
manifestation,  would  blaze  with  lightnings  on  the 
path  of  that  demoralizing  scoundrel  ?  Love  has  a 
side  of  wrath,  and  is  a  consuming  flame  by  its  very 
nature  when  turned  against  that  which  resists  it 
and  is  alien  to  it.  Every  force  in  the  universe,  and 
everything  great  and  conserving  in  the  nature  and 
soul  of  man  becomes  such  a  fire  when  threatened  by 
that  which  is  opposed  to  it.  The  greatest  men  have 
been  those  who  have  shown  this  the  most — Crom- 
well, Luther,  Pascal,  St.  John,  St.  Paul,  and  more 
terribly  and  mightily  than  all,  Christ  himself.  With 
what  withering  denunciations  He  condemned  what- 
ever was  false  and  ugly  in  character!  What  a  curse 
was  that  pronounced  upon  the  offending  cities  of 


280  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Bethsaida  and  Chorazin,  and  the  worldly  and  con- 
ceited Pharisees!  Was  the  heart  of  Christ  less  full 
of  tenderness  and  truth  because  it  was  a  flame  of 
fire  when  He  confronted  the  unbelief  and  pride  and 
worldly  ambition  of  those  who  would  resist  and 
destroy  His  good  works?  And  so  it  is  that  God 
over  all,  who  is  represented  to  us  in  Christ,  and  in 
nature  and  the  highest  soul  of  man,  is  a  '  consuming 
fire.'  Blot  that  out?  You  may  tear  it  out  from 
your  Bible,  but  you  cannot  tear  it  out  from  the 
universe. ' ' 

9.  The  system  of  Naturalism  assumes  finite  pen- 
alty without  proof.  It  boldly  asserts  that  all  sin 
must  have  its  appropriate  punishment — that  all  in- 
fraction of  God's  laws,  whether  physical  or  moral, 
must  be  followed  by  corresponding  penalty. 

Its  favorite  illustration  is — If  you  thrust  your 
hand  into  the  fire,  it  will  certainly  be  burned.  And 
so  of  all  violations,  either  of  physical  or  moral  law, 
the  penalty  must  follow. 

Now,  could  the  advocates  of  this  system  only  dem- 
onstrate that  the  appropriate  penalty  for  the  viola- 
tion of  God's  great  moral\a.vt  is  merely  finite  and  tem- 
porary, like  the  penalty  of  physical 'law,  the  ground 
would  be  comparatively  clear  and  satisfactory;  but 
it  omits  to  do  this,  and  leaves  a  terrible  perhaps  that  it 
is  not. 

The  system,  too,  as  a  whole,  is  burdened  with 
the  most  serious  inconsistencies.  Thus  it  asserts 
that  the  Divine  plan  embraces  only  justice ;  that 
no  mercy  has  ever  entered  into  it,  whereas  mercy  is 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  281 

written  on  the  heavens,  and  every  man  who  prays 
for  pardon,  either  to  God  or  idols,  assumes  it. 

It  says  that  no  atonement — no  system  of  expia- 
tion is  possible,  when  the  world's  great  hunger  is 
for  expiation,  and  every  nation  on  earth  is  assum- 
ing its  possibility,  and  seeking  in  its  own  way,  by 
sacrifices  or  fasting,  by  penance  or  pilgrimage,  or 
self-infliction  in  some  form,  to  obtain  it. 

It  sees  nothing  in  this  world  but  rigid  law  and 
penalty,  when  God  makes  His  sun  to  rise  on  the 
evil  as  well  as  on  the  good,  and  sends  his  gentle 
rain  alike  upon  the  just  and  the  unjust, 

And  then,  as  if  proud  of  its  superiority  to  the 
poor  trembling  sinner  who  fears  ' '  the  wrath  to 
come,"  it  confidently  says,  "/am  willing  to  be  pun- 
ished all  I  deserve  to  be. ' '  Aye,  but  it  is  very  care- 
ful to  assume,  at  that  point,  that  the  appropriate 
punishment  of  sin  is  only  limited  and  temporary, 
when,  as  we  have  seen,  it  may  not  be,  and  in  which 
case  a  man  might  not  be  as  ready  to  insist  on  strict 
justice,  and  reject  the  possibility  of  mercy  and  scout 
the  Atonement,  and  push  away  from  him  the  kind 
offer  of  deliverance  from  both  sin  and  punishment 
through  the  Savior,  by  whom  God  can  be  just,  and 
yet  justify  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus. 

All  such  superficial  thinkers  upon  the  great  prob- 
lems of  Divine  Government  and  Eternal  Justice  and 
Mercy  should  propose,  each  one  to  himself,  ques- 
tions like  this — "Am  I  sure  that  this  amount  of  suf- 
fering and  penalty  which  I  have  assumed  is  to  follow 
my  sin,  will  adequately  measure  the  wickedness  of 


282  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

that  sin  ?  Will  it  correspond  with  the  infinite  maj- 
esty of  the  Law  I  have  violated;  with  the  dignity 
and  greatness  and  glory  of  the  Lawgiver  against 
whom  I  have  sinned;  and  am  I  sure  that  such  a 
finite  penalty,  as  I  am  contemplating,  would  protect 
sufficiently  the  interests  and  welfare  of  a  universe 
extending  to  all  worlds  and  through  all  ages  ?  ' ' 

Now,  such  questions,  honestly  put,  will  speedily 
show  a  man  that,  very  likely,  it  will  not  be  safe  for 
him  to  insist  upon  strict  justice,  for  that  may  result 
in  his  eternal  banishment  from  God.  He  cannot 
prove  that  it  will  not,  and  there  are  weighty  consid- 
erations for  his  fearing  that  it  will.  And  it  were 
well  for  him,  therefore,  to  consider  whether  there 
may  not  be  some  way  of  deliverance  from  the  appro- 
priate consequences  of  sin — of  his  own  sin — and 
whether  he  is  sure  that  the  Gospel  plan  of  salvation 
for  the  sinful  may  not  have  emanated  from  God, 
and  Jesus  Christ,  after  all,  be  ' '  the  only  name  under 
Heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we  must  be 
saved. ' ' 

He  should  consider,  also,  how  fully  the  Gospel 
scheme  carries  with  itself  its  own  demonstrable  evi- 
dence of  its  Divine  origin.  Take,  for  instance,  the 
comprehensive  statement  of  it  in  Is.  liii :  6 — "All 
we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray;  we  have  turned 
every  one  to  his  own  way:  and  the  Lord  hath  laid 
on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all,"  in  which  the  propo- 
sition is  to  lay  the  sins  of  all  the  men  who  have  ever 
lived,  or  who  may  yet  live,  upon  a  single  individual. 
Where  did  such  a  scheme  originate  ?  It  must  have 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  283 

had  either  a  human  or  a  divine  origin.  But  what 
finite  mind  could  have  devised  such  a  plan  ?  What 
finite  being  could  have  been  found  to  sustain  such  a 
burden?  What  finite  being  would  have  authority 
to  propose  such  a  scheme  with  any  hope  of  its 
acknowledgement?  No  one  can  seriously  contem- 
plate the  above  statement  without  seeing  that  its 
magnitude  and  mysteriousness,  its  utter  incompre- 
hensibility even,  in  many  of  its  vital  aspects,  lift  it 
at  once  above  the  plane  of  human  thought,  and  ren- 
der the  assumption  of  its  human  origin  a  manifest 
absurdity;  and  if  its  human  origin  be  manifestly 
impossible,  then  is  he  bound  to  accept  it  as  Divine. 
10.  "  To  create  beings  knowing  that  they  will  be 
lost  cannot  be  benevolent. ' '  Answer — 

(1)  If  it  were  foreseen  that,  in  a  system  of  moral 
beings  all  would  sin  and  be  eternally  lost,  the  adop- 
tion of  such  a  system  would  not  be  a  benevolent 
adl.     But 

(2)  Were  it  foreseen  that  but  a   small  fraction 
would  sin  and  be  lost,  so  that,  on  the  whole,  the 
good  resulting  from  the  system  would  infinitely  ex- 
ceed the  evil,  the  adoption  of  such  a  system  would 
be  benevolent.     Because,  as  has  been  said,  holiness 
and  consequent  happiness  are  as  valuable  in  the  way 
of  good,  as  sin  and  consequent  misery  are  bad  in  the 
way  of  evil ;  and  the  one  as  important  to  be  secured  as 
the  other  to  be  prevented.     So  men  reason.     In  all 
human  experience  and  relations,  we  offset  the  good 
against  the  evil  ;  and  if,  in  any  plan,  the  former 
greatly  preponderates,    we  adopt  the  plan,    as  a 


284  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

whole,  on  the  common-sense  principle  that  it  pays. 
Such  is  the  peculiarity  of  the  present  system,  that 
while  it  involves  the  endless  suffering  of  a  limited 
number  of  moral  beings,  it  yet  secures  the  endless 
happiness  of  an  unlimited  number ;  so  that  in  the 
long  range  of  eternity,  the  evils  of  the  system  as 
compared  with  the  good  resulting  from  it  will  be- 
come infinitesimal,  and  therefore,  its  adoption  the 
dictate  of  benevolence. 

Still  the  question  returns — How  is  the  Endless 
Perdition  of  even  a  single  individual  consistent  with 
the  benevolence  of  God  ?  Answer :  Only  on  the 
ground  of  His  having  done  all  for  the  salvation  of 
that  individual  that  could  possibly  be  done  ;  so  that 
the  resources  of  Omnipotence  have  been  exhausted 
in  his  behalf,  and  the  infliction  of  threatened  penalty 
has  become  an  unavoidable  necessity.  This  is  the 
only  satisfactory  answer  ;  and  any  system  not  fairly 
reaching  this  point,  is  to  be  regarded  as  worthless 
for  the  vindication  of  the  Divine  Benevolence  in  the 
endless  punishment  of  the  wicked.  To  show  that 
back  of  all  the  declarations  of  the  Bible  there  lies 
an  inevitable  necessity  for  the  infliction  of  endless 
punishment,  is  the  exact  point  aimed  at  in  the  prep- 
aration of  this  book. 

It  is  believed  that  the  following  point  has  been  sat- 
isfactorily proved — That  the  present  moral  system, 
as  it  is,  is  the  one  best  possible  to  God ;  altho,  in 
order  to  arrest  the  progress  of  sin  in  it,  the  dreadful 
fact  of  Endless  Punishment  on  the  one  hand,  and 
the  awful  sacrifice  of  His  Only  Son  on  the  other, 


MORAL    EVIL:    ITS    FINAL    ISSUES.  285 

become  inevitable.  From  both  these  His  whole 
benevolent  nature  shrinks ;  and  He  only  accepts 
them  as  a  stern  and  unavoidable  necessity.  It  is 
either  these  or  no  moral  system,  and  therefore  no 
endless  results  of  Holiness  and  Happiness. 

Only  one  point  remains  to  be  considered — The 
use  that  may  be  made  of  both  of  these  hereafter  in 
preventing  sin  from  spreading  to  other  worlds,  and 
among  other  and  future  races  of  moral  beings  ;  and 
this  will  be  considered  in  the  following  chapter. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MORAI,  EVII,  IN  ITS  RELATIONS  TO  THE  ENDLESS 
FUTURE. 

SEC.  i .   The  Future  of  the  Universe. 

We  are  now  looking  out  upon  the  endless  ages. 
The  Judgment  has  been  passed,  the  history  of  the 
world  ended,  and  ' '  the  earth  and  the  things  that 
are  therein  have  been  burned  up. "  (2  Pet.  iii :  10. ) 
What  shall  be  the  future  of  the  universe  ? 

To  all  appearance  it  is,  as  we  have  seen,  endless 
in  duration,  boundless  in  extent  and  limitless  in  ex- 
pansion. We  cannot  prove  this,  but  all  probabilities 
lie  in  this  direction.  What  shall  be  the  moral 
character  of  its  endlessly  increasing  population? 
The  tendency  and  temptation  to  sin,  it  has  been 
shown,  belongs  to  all  moral  beings  who  either  have 
been  or  can  be  created.  The  vital  and  tremendous 
question,  therefore,  is:  How  shall  this  universe  of 
free,  moral  beings  be  secured  in  the  exercise  of  its 
freedom,  and  still  be  protected  forever  from  the  dis- 
astrous inroads  of  rebellion  ?  The  point  now  to  be 
shown  is — 

That,  in  all  probability,  it  will  be  impossible  for 
an  endlessly  increasing  system  of  free,  moral  agents 

286 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    THE    ENDLESS    FUTURE.         287 

to  be  established  in  endless  loyalty  to  God,  except  by 

TWO   INFINITE  SACRIFICES. 

First.  The  infinite  sacrifice  of  God's  only  Son  in 
the  work  of  Redemption,  and 

Secondly.  The  endless  perdition  of  the  ungodly. 

In  the  view  now  to  be  presented,  these  two 
infinite  sacrifices  have  created  the  two  great  motives, 
without  which  the  Future  Universe  could  not  be 
established  in  loyalty  to  God.  We  need  to  notice 
this  matter  of  motives  more  at  length. 

SEC.  2.  Motives. 

Motives,  as  we  have  seen,  are  the  only  influence 
proper  to  be  used  in  the  government  of  moral  be- 
ings. We  neither  know,  nor  can  imagine  any  other 
means  by  which  rebellion  can  be  prevented  here- 
after, and  at  the  same  time  moral  beings  retain 
their  freedom.  For  the  freedom  of  the  will  must  be 
insisted  on ;  and  the  will  can  resist  all  motive.  At  the 
same  time  a  certain  kind  and  intensity  of  motive  does 
become  efficacious  in  the  government  of  moral  beings. 

Again — We  can  see  no  possible  way  by  which  the 
motives  necessary  for  preventing  rebellion  here- 
after can  be  created,  except  by  God's  dealings  with 
the  rebellion  which  has  already  broken  out. 

Another  thing — To  all  appearance  past  rebellion 
car  be  treated,  for  this  purpose,  in  only  two  ways, 
namely  :  By  judgment  and  mercy  ;  in  other  words, 
by  punishment  and  pardon.  And  it  should  be  espe- 
cially noticed,  that  these  are  the  two  ways  that  God 
has  adopted — On  the  one  hand  He  threatens  every- 
where in  His  Word  the  most  dreadful  punishment 


288  THE    ORIGIN    OE    SIN. 

against  transgression,  and,  on  the  other,  in  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  holds  out  every  possible  en- 
couragement to  the  sinner  to  repent  of  his  sin, 
obtain  forgiveness  and  be  saved  ;  and  in  these  two 
ways  has  created  the  strongest  motives  against  the 
commission  of  sin  which,  in  the  nature  of  things, 
can  possibly  be  employed.  And  He  evidently  in- 
tends in  this,  that  His  moral  universe  shall  come 
under  the  influence  of  this  two-fold  revelation  of 
Himself.  Therefore  it  is,  that,  all  through  the 
Bible,  He  has  held  up  Himself  and  His  character 
in  this  twofold  aspect — 

' '  Behold,  therefore,  the  goodness  and  severity  of 
God."  (Rom.  xi:  22.) 

"The Lord,  the  Lord  God  merciful  and  gracious, 
forgiving  iniquity,  transgression  and  sin,  and  that 
will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty. ' '  .(Ex.  xxxiv  :  6, 7. ) 

"God  is  Love.  Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire" 
( i  Jno.  iv  :  1 6  and  Heb.  xii :  29. ) 

' '  What  if  God,  willing  to  show  His  wrath,  and 
to  make  His  power  known,  endured  with  much 
long-suffering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruc- 
tion :  And  that  He  might  make  known  the  riches 
of  His  glory  on  the  vessels  of  mercy,  which  He  had 
afore  prepared  unto  glory."  (Rom.  ix  :  22,  23.) 

' '  The  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin 
of  the  world. "  "  Hide  us  from  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb."  (Jno.  i :  29,  and  Rev.  vi :  16.) 

' '  The  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from  everlasting  to 
everlasting. "  "  The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from 
Heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteous- 


MORAL   EVIL     IN    THE    ENDLESS    FUTURE.         289 

ness  of  men."  (Ps.  ciii :  17,  and  Rom.  i :  18);  and 
so  on  in  other  passages. 

We  are  to  notice  now  that  His  goodness  and 
severity,  as  they  find  a  twofold  exhibition  in  the 
punishment  and  pardon  of  the  sinners  of  this  world, 
have  created  the  two  great  motives,  which,  in  the 
view  we  are  taking,  will  bind  the  future  universe  to 
God  and  duty  forever. 

We  are  particularly  to  notice  the  use  God  will 
make  hereafter  of  the  punishment  of  the  wicked. 
And  here  let  it  be  carefully  noted,  That  the  neces- 
sary infliction  of  punishment,  and  the  use  God  may 
make  of  it  hereafter  for  the  welfare  of  the  universe, 
are  two  very  different  things.  The  first  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  save  the  moral  government  of 
God  from  contempt  and  ruin;  but  the  use  God  may 
make  of  it  as  an  example  to  deter  the  future  universe 
from  rebellion,  is  another  matter.  The  former  has 
been  considered  in  the  preceding  chapters,  and  we 
come  now  to  consider  the  latter. 

I.  THE   USE  OF  PUNISHMENT  IN  THE  FUTURE 
UNIVERSE. 

The  light  we  have  upon  this  matter  is  faint.  In 
gathering  up  what  there  is,  we  notice 

i .  That  in  human  governments  the  infliction  of 
penalty,  making,  in  this  way,  an  example  of  trans- 
gressors, does,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  deter  others  from 
similar  wrongdoing — tends  to  deter  from  crime.  In- 
deed, nothing  is  plainer,  in  human  governments, 
than  that  penalty  threatened  and  executed,  is  the 


2QO  THE   ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

indispensable  safeguard  of  the  community;  and  that 
without  it  there  would  be  no  adequate  protection  of 
life  and  property,  and  the  wicked  would  revel  in 
their  wickedness.  Notice 

2.  The  use  which  the  Bible  declares  God  makes 
of  His  past  visitations  upon  the  wicked  in  this 
world — the  calamities  with  which  He  has  afflicted 
them.  He  makes  them  an  example  and  a  warning. 

Notice,  in  brief  review,  the  terrible  energy  and 
persistency  with  which  He  has  followed  up  this  line 
of  conduct.  He  drowned  the  old  world;  He  de- 
stroyed Sodom;  He  exterminated  the  Canaanites; 
He  slew  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness;  His  wrath 
is  revealed  from  Heaven  now  against  all  ungodli- 
ness and  unrighteousness  of  men,  and  He  will  say 
to  the  wicked  at  the  final  judgment,  "  Depart,  ye 
cursed. ' '  Now,  why  ?  Is  it  a  remedial  agency — an 
effort  to  reform  these  wicked  ones?  The  physician's 
way  to  cure  a  man  is  not  to  kill  him;  that  is  not  a 
remedial  way  of  working.  What  did  the  deluge 
that  swept  the  sinners  of  the  old  world  to  destruc- 
tion, or  the  rain  of  fire  and  brimstone  upon  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  and  the  cities  of  the  plain,  do  for 
them  in  the  line  of  reformation  f  Then  what  is  the 
object?  Primarily  to  sustain  God's  authority  and 
uphold  the  majesty  of  His  government;  but,  sec- 
ondarily, to  make  them  an  example,  as  the  Bible 
says  in  2  Pet.  ii :  6,  "Turning  the  cities  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah  into  ashes,  condemed  them  with  an 
overthrow,  making  them  an  example  unto  those 
that  after  should  live  ungodly. ' ' 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    THE    ENDLESS    FUTURE.          2gi 

The  record  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  Jude  7 
includes  the  same  statement — that  they  ' '  are  set 
forth  for  an  example,  suffering  the  vengeance  of 
eternal  fire. ' '  Also  the  record  of  the  sinning  Isra- 
elites in  the  wilderness  in  i  Corinthians  x  :  6,  n,  is 
that  all  the  calamities  that  came  on  them  for  their 
sinful  conduct,  made  them  an  example  to  us,  teach- 
ing us  that  we  should  not  ' '  lust  after  evil  things ' ' 
as  they  did,  nor  be  "  idolaters  "  as  they  were,  nor 
"commit  fornication,"  nor  "tempt  Christ,"  nor 
"murmur,"  as  they  did;  and  "  all  these  things,"  it 
says,  ' '  happened  unto  them  for  examples,  and  are 
written  for  our  admonition. ' ' 

Here  notice  that  this  punishment  inflidled  upon 
the  sinners  mentioned  was  used  to  deter  from  sin- 
ning those  who  should  come  after  them.  It  was  used 
for  the  prevention  of  sin  afterwards  in  future 
nations  and  races  of  the  world.  This,  then,  is  a 
fixed  principle  in  the  workings  of  God's  moral  and 
providential  government  —  that  those  who  bring 
upon  themselves  sufferings  and  calamities  for  their 
sins,  shall  be  held  up  to  the  view  of  those  who 
come  after  them,  in  order  to  deter  them  from  a  simi- 
lar wickedness.  Why,  then,  may  not  the  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked  in  the  future  world  be  made  use 
of  in  the  same  way — be  held  up  before  the  future 
races  of  the  universe,  to  keep  them  from  apostasy  ? 

We  find  indeed  that  this  is  the  exadl  use  God 
will  make  of  those  judgments  in  the  coming  ages. 
Even  the  angels  in  heaven,  we  find,  are  made  to 
witness  the  torments  of  the  damned.  It  is  not 


292  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

enough  that  they  gaze  with  wonder  upon  the 
glory  and  grandeur  of  redemption,  and  "  desire  to 
look  into  it."  It  is  not  enough  for  them  to  sing 
with  the  elders,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb."  It  is  not 
enough  for  them  to  be  ' '  ministering  spirits  sent 
forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of 
salvation. ' '  The  record  also  is  in  Revelation  xiv  :  i  o, 
that  the  wicked  should  ' '  be  tormented  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  holy  angels  and  in  the  presence  of  the 
Lamb."  And  here  we  repeat  the  question,  Why  in 
the  presence  of  the  angels,  if  this  dreadful  sight  is 
not  necessary  ?  Why  necessary,  but  for  its  moral 
effect  upon  them  ?  What  moral  effect  can  be  con- 
ceived but  to  keep  them  from  apostasy  ?  Why  in 
the  presence  of  the  Lamb,  but  to  indicate  that  judg- 
ment and  mercy  go  hand  in  hand,  and  that  with  all 
His  infinite  affection  He  yet  approves  of  this  right- 
eous judgment  upon  the  wicked.  For,  altho  Christ 
will  sit  upon  the  throne  of  the  universe  as  the  great 
Redeemer,  and  the  illustration  to  the  universe  for- 
ever of  God's  mercy  to  the  sinful,  yet  the  record  in 
Revelation  vi  :  15,  16,  is  also  this  :  "And  the  kings 
of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and  the  rich  men, 
and  the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men,  and 
every  bondman,  and  every  free  man,  hid  themselves 
in  the  dens  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains  ;  and 
said  to  the  mountains  and  rocks,  Fall  on  us, 
and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  Him  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb." 

And   the   prophecy  of   Isaiah  closes   with   this : 
That  in  the  coming  ages,  when  the  new  heavens 


MORAL    EVIL    IN   THE    ENDLESS    FUTURE.         293 

and  the  new  earth  shall  have  been  inaugurated, 
' '  the  hand  of  the  Lord  shall  be  known  toward  His 
servants,  and  his  indignation  towards  His  enemies. 
And  they  shall  go  forth  and  look  upon  the  carcasses 
of  the  men  who  have  transgressed  against  Me  ;  for 
their  worm  shall  not  die,  neither  shall  their  fire  be 
quenched  ;  and  they  shall  be  an  abhorring  unto  all 
flesh."  In  this  last  expression  we  see  the  reason 
given  why  God  makes  an  exhibition  of  His  dealings 
with  sinful  men  in  the  way  of  punishment.  It  is  to 
make  wickedness  abhorrent.  It  is  to  so  hold  it  up 
to  the  gaze  of  the  universe  that  all  moral  beings  shall 
fear  it — fear  its  consequences  and  fear  to  commit  it. 
And  for  this  it  is  that  in  His  past,  present,  and  future 
dealings  with  sinners  He  makes  them  an  example 
and  a  warning  to  the  future  races  of  the  universe. 
On  the  whole,  therefore,  we  conclude  that  by 
this  firmness  in  the  execution  of  penalty,  God  lays 
securely  one  of  the  great  foundation-stones  of  His 
endless  administration  over  the  future  universe. 
He  shows  conclusively  that  He  is  not  a  Moral  Gov- 
ernor who  will  allow  His  Law  to  be  disobeyed  with 
impunity  ;  that  He  ' '  will  by  no  means  clear  the 
guilty,"  and  that  there  is  no  safety  for  moral  beings 
but  in  maintaining  an  eternal  allegiance  to  Him.* 


*  "  A  fearful  truth  is  this  as  applied  to  all  sinners  who  will  bear  no 
fruit  of  obedience  and  love  to  God  ;  from  whom  He  can  extract  no  other 
service  in  His  universe  save  to  make  them  an  example  of  His  right- 
eous justice  in  their  damnation." — COWLES'  Notes  on  Eze.  isth  Chap. 

"That  they  may  exemplify  for  the  warning  of  others  the  fearful 
power  of  sin  on  the  soul,  and  its  terrible  and  certain  curse  in  the  line 
both  of  natural  consequences,  and  Divine  judgments." — COWLES'  Notes 
on  Eze.  xx  :  23-26. 


294  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

[NOTE.  It  is  objected  to  this  view,  that  it  involves 
the  sacrifice  of  one  class  of  moral  beings  for  the 
benefit  of  another. 

This  is  caricature.  We  never  speak  thus  when 
the  disobedient  scholar  in  school  is  punished,  or 
when  the  murderer  expiates  his  crime  upon  the  gal- 
lows. True  it  is,  however,  that  all  just  punishment 
for  wrong  doing  inflicted  by  human  law,  does,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  tend  to  deter  others  from  a  similar 
course ;  that  the  majesty  of  the  law  is  sustained, 
future  obedience  rendered  more  probable,  or  even 
certain,  and  that  the  general  welfare,  whether  of 
the  school  or  the  community,  is  thereby  secured. 
So,  in  the  government  of  God,  inflicted  penalty  may 
deter  other  races  from  rebellion,  and  thus  have  an 
influence  to  secure  the  eternal  obedience  and  welfare 
of  the  universe.  But  the  idea  that  the  violators  of 
law,  when  incurring  just  punishment,  are  sacrificed 
to  the  general  good  in  any  obnoxious  sense,  is  erro- 
neous. The  fact  is — and  this  would  be  the  proper 
mode  of  stating  it — The  transgressors  having,  in 
each  case,  wickedly  assailed  rightful  authority,  they 
rightly  incur  the  penalty ;  that  having  arrayed 
themselves  against  law  and  government,  either  they 
or  the  government  must  suffer  for  it ;  one  or  the 
other  must  succumb  ;  even  in  the  grand  necessities 
of  God's  perfect  government,  when  the  sinner 
assails  this,  either  he  or  the  government  must  be 
utterly  ruined,  unless  God  interpose,  as  He  has  in 
this  world,  with  some  infinite  and  mysterious  plan  of 
pardon.  The  truth  is,  not  that  one  class  of  beings 


MORAL    EVIL    IN    THE    ENDLESS    FUTURE.          295 

is  sacrificed  for  the  benefit  of  another,  but  that  the 
wicked  are  punished  to  save  the  great  moral  gov- 
ernment of  God  over  His  universe  from  contempt 
and  ruin  ;  and  then  God  uses  them  as  an  example 
and  a  warning.] 

And  so  we  reach  the  conclusion  that  in  an  endless 
universe  which  sin  has  invaded,  an  endless  hell  is 
indispensable  for  a  twofold  reason — First,  for  se- 
curing the  stability  of  God's  eternal  Throne. 
Secondly,  for  saving  the  future  universe  from 
apostasy. 

At  this  point  the  workings  of  the  Divine  govern- 
ment seem  to  differ  in  no  respect  from  those  of 
human  governments.  In  all  human  legislation,  the 
majesty  of  the  L/aw  must  be  upheld  for  one  thing, 
and  the  fear  of  just  punishment  be  created  for 
another.  When  a  riot  is  quelled  by  the  strong  arm 
of  the  law,  the  majesty  of  the  law  is  vindicated,  and 
the  lawless  learn  to  fear  rebellion.  And  it  is  this 
observation  of  the  consequences  of  rebellion  which 
operates  to  protect  the  community  afterwards. 
And  our  theory  is  that  the  same  thing  holds  true  in 
the  moral  government  of  Jehovah,  and  that  obser- 
vation of  the  consequences  of  rebellion  is  indispens- 
able in  order  to  save  the  newly-created  beings  of 
future  ages  from  the  rebellion  to  which  they  will  be 
tempted  at  the  commencement  of  their  existence, 
and  to  confirm  them  in  eternal  obedience  and  holi- 
ness. 


296  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

II.    REDEMPTION   IN     ITS    RELATIONS   TO    THE 
FUTURE  UNIVERSE. 

The  Atonement  has  several  distinct  designs — 

1.  To  render  pardon  possible  under  the  perfect 
moral  government  of  God. 

2.  To  deliver  penitent  sinners  from  the  power  of 
sin  committed — "  Cleansing  them  from  all  unright- 
eousness. ' ' 

3.  To  keep  the  Unf alien  Angels  from  transgres- 
sion and  confirm  them  in  obedience  to  God. 

4.  To  save  the  future  races  of  the  universe  from 
apostasy,  and  thus  arrest  the  spread  of  rebellion. 

The  first  three  of  these  have  already  been  consid- 
ered ;  and  we  come  now  to  notice  the  use  God  will 
make  ' '  in  the  ages  to  come, ' '  of  the  great  Plan  of 
Redemption. 

It  was  shown  in  the  chapter  on  The  Origin  of  Sin, 
that  the  occasion  of  sin  is  common  to  all  moral  be- 
ings who  either  have  been  or  can  be  created.  How 
then  shall  newly  created  beings  be  led  to  repress 
their  love  of  independence,  at  the  outset,  submit  to 
the  restraints  of  law,  and  thus  become  confirmed  in 
eternal  obedience? 

1 .  They  must  be  led,  for  one  thing,  as  we  have 
seen,  to  fear  sin.     This  can  only  be  done  by  reveal- 
ing to  them  its  sad  consequences  in  the  punishment 
of  the  sinful.     How  and  how  far  this  will  be  done, 
has  not  been  revealed.     But  so  far  as  it  may  be  done, 
it  is  an  appeal  to  fear.     Now 

2.  There  needs  to  be  an  appeal  to  affeElion  also  in 


REDEMPTION    AND    THE    FUTURE    UNIVERSE.      297 

order  to  secure  affectionate  obedience.  For  an  ap- 
peal to  fear  alone  will  never  secure  anything  more 
than  temporary  obedience  under  any  government. 
Not  that  it  can  ever  be  dispensed  with,  but  some- 
thing is  needed  beyond  this.  The  lawgiver  who 
undertakes  to  enforce  obedience  only  by  fear,  with 
little  or  no  manifestations  of  affection  and  good- will 
toward  his  subjects,  becomes  in  their  apprehension 
a  tyrant  ;  and  the  hatred  engendered  by  this  con- 
viction will  sooner  or  later  terminate  in  open  rebel- 
lion. And,  therefore,  in  order  that  hearty  obedi- 
ence may  be  secured  on  the  part  of  the  governed, 
there  must  be  an  appeal  to  affeElion  as  well  as  fear. 
In  fact,  unless  there  were  good  and  sufficient  proof 
of  the  benevolence  of  the  lawgiver,  and  that  he 
was  actuated  by  a  desire  for  the  best  good  of  all, 
there  could  be  no  moral  obligation  to  respect  his 
government. 

And  this  twofold  appeal  to  fear  and  affeElion 
comes  out  in  the  Bible  with  remarkable  clearness. 

This  has  been  fully  shown  in  a  previous  connec- 
tion. Let  it  be  briefly  adverted  to  again. 

Rom.  xi :  22.  "Behold,  therefore,  the  goodness 
and  severity  of  God  ;  on  them  which  fell,  severity  ; 
but  toward  thee  goodness. ' '  Again  : 

Rom.  ix  :  22.  "What  if  God,  willing  to  shew 
His  wrath,  and  to  make  His  power  known"  etc. 
Here  the  statement  plainly  is,  that  God,  in  His 
treatment  of  the  "vessels  of  wrath,"  is  desiring  and 
seeking  to  exhibit  His  ' '  power, ' '  and  to  manifest 
His  "  wrath,"  that  is,  His  displeasure  against  sin  ; 


298  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

thus  bringing  out  to  view  the  sterner  elements  of 
His  character  as  the  great  Moral  Governor,  who 
will  certainly  punish  transgression.  Here  is  the 
appeal  to  fear,  and  now  follows  the  appeal  to 
affection. 

Rom.  ix  :  23.  "  And  that  He  might  make  known 
the  riches  of  His  glory  on  the  vessels  of  mercy," 
etc.;  where  the  statement  is,  also,  equally  plain, 
that  God  is  making  use  of  His  treatment  of  re- 
deemed and  sanctified  men,  for  the  manifestation  of 
Himself  in  the  opposite  way,  and  bringing  to  view 
His  character  as  a  being  of  paternal  tenderness  and 
compassion.  Indeed  the  giving  of  His  ' '  only  be- 
gotten and  well  beloved  Son,"  for  the  salvation  of 
a  sinful  world,  is  one  of  the  strongest  appeals  to 
affeflion  which  ever  has  been  made,  or  ever  can  be, 
— it  is  even  the  strongest  conceivable. 

That  the  influence  of  the  Atonement  will  be  felt 
beyond  this  world  we  argue  : 

i .  From  the  fact  that  the  results  of  it  should  cor- 
respond with  the  expenditure.  The  expenditure  is 
infinite — the  greatest  conceivable.  No  greater  ex- 
penditure could  even  Omnipotence  incur  than  to 
give  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  for  human  re- 
demption and  salvation.  No  greater  exhibition  of 
tenderness  and  love  could  have  been  made  than 
this.  Now  can  any  end  be  conceived  of  sufficient 
magnitude  to  warrant  such  an  expenditure — such  a 
sacrifice,  except  that  of  securing  obedience  to  Law  on 
the  part  of  His  entire  moral  creation  ?  If  so,  what 
is  it  ?  The  question  is  one  difficult,  if  not  impossi- 


REDEMPTION    AND    THE    FUTURE    UNIVERSE.      299 

ble  to  be  answered  ;  and,  therefore,  this  great 
object — in  the  very  nature  of  things,  that  which  He 
must  love  above  all  others,  in  His  relations  to  His 
creatures — is,  in  all  probability,  the  one  which  God 
is  thus  aiming  to  secure. 

Furthermore,  no  results  thus  far  witnessed  corre- 
spond at  all  with  the  expenditure.  Certainly  no 
results  reached  here  in  this  world,  where  sin  and 
not  holiness,  rebellion  and  not  salvation,  have  been 
almost  the  universal  rule  for  six  thousand  years, 
can  possibly  be  made  to  harmonize  with  so  mighty 
a  work — so  vast  an  expenditure.  Indeed,  nothing 
finite — no  achievement  that  is  limited  in  its  results — 
can  harmonize  with  it.  And  no  conceivable  view 
but  that  which  makes  the  whole  endless  universe  of 
moral  beings,  endlessly  enlarging,  to  be  dependent 
on  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  for  final  confirmation  in 
holiness  and  happiness,  will  fully  correspond  with 
the  infinite  greatness  and  grandeur  of  the  expen- 
diture. 

2.  The  only  position  that  fully  harmonizes  with 
the  Bible  also,  is  that  the  main  design  of  the  Atone- 
ment is  not  to  save  men,  but  the  universe  of  moral 
beings  so  far  as  this  can  be  safely  accomplished — to 
secure  the  salvation  of  moral  beings  anywhere  and 
everywhere  where  salvation  is  possible.  Wherever 
in  the  wide  universe,  Christ  can  accomplish  salva- 
tion so  as  to  compensate  Him  for  His  infinite  sacri- 
fice, or  at  whatever  time — now,  hereafter,  or  forever 
— He  will  do  it.  And  this  sweeping  statement  is 
borne  out  by  the  Scriptures.  "Now,"  says  the 


300  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Apostle,  in  Ephesians  iii :  10,  "now" — in  these 
incipient  stages  of  the  moral  universe — God  is  re- 
vealing Himself  in  the  Atonement,  and  through  the 
redeemed  ' '  Church, ' '  to  the  angels  of  heaven — the 
' '  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places. ' ' 
But  in  Eph.  ii :  7  it  says,  ' '  That  in  the  ages  to  come 
He  might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace, 
in  His  kindness  toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus. ' ' 
This  declaration  is  worthy  of  special  notice. 

1 .  It  is  the  ' '  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace  and 
kindness, ' '  which  are  made  known  ;  that  is,  there 
is  an  exhibition  made  of  God's  tenderness  and  com- 
passion, mercy  and  love — those  traits  of  all  others 
the  most  subduing  and  winning. 

2.  This  exhibition   is    made  by  means  of  His 
' '  kindness  towards  us  through  Christ  Jesus  ; ' '  that 
is,  His  kindness  in  providing  for  the  guilty  sinners 
of  this  world,  the  atonement  by  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  This  exhibition  is  to  be  made  "  in  the  ages  to 
come. ' '     Most  commentators  are  agreed  in  making 
this  expression  refer  to  all  future  time  both  in  this 
world  and  the  next ;   that  is,  that  this  exhibition  is 
to  be  made   through  eternity ;  it  does  not  say  to 
whom,  but  why  should  we  not  reverently  assume  to 
all  moral  beings  who  shall  come  after  them  through 
the  endless  ages,  and  with  the  same  grand  object  in 
view — the  endless  confirmation  of  them  also  in  holi- 
ness and  happiness  ?     Such,  at  least,  is  the  theory 
of  the  atonement  sketched  in  these  pages  ;  and  it  is 
believed  to  be  the  only  one  perfectly  harmoniz- 
ing with  all  the  facts  and  intimations  of  the  Bible. 


REDEMPTION  AND  THE  FUTURE  UNIVERSE.        301 

This  makes  salvation  its  prime  object  everywhere 
and  forever — in  this  world,  to  save  all  who  can 
be  led  to  repentance  for  their  sin ;  in  the  ' '  ages 
to  come,"  to  save  the  future  races  of  the  universe 
from  sinning. 

And  this  is  entirely  reasonable  ;  for  the  salvation 
of  moral  beings  elsewhere  is  just  as  important  and 
valuable  as  their  salvation  here  in  this  world. 

Also,  it  is  just  as  important  and  desirable  to  keep 
moral  beings/nw*  sinning,  as  to  save  them  after  they 
have  sinned.  And  even  more  so  ;  for  sinless  beings 
have  done  nothing  to  forfeit  God's  favor,  and  may 
be  kept  forever  from  transgression  ;  while  the  sinful 
have  wickedly  rebelled  against  Him,  and  set  in 
operation  a  train  of  causes  and  effects,  whose  final 
influence  can  only  be  destructive  and  disastrous  ;  all 
of  which  would  have  been  prevented  had  they  only 
been  kept/hwz  sinning. 

Whatever  place,  therefore,  in  the  moral  universe, 
we  give  the  plan  of  Redemption,  should  be  one 
adapted  to  elevate  that  plan  in  our  apprehension,  to 
the  highest  degree,  and  to  fill  us  with  wonder  and 
admiration. 

In  particular,  in  order  to  harmonize  with  the 
Scripture  view  of  the  Atonement,  it  should  be  repre- 
sented— 

First — As  the  great  and  only  sacrifice  for  sin — the 
first  and  final  exhibition  of  God's  mercy  to  the  sin- 
ful, so  that  after  this  "  one  sacrifice  "  the  Redeemer 
" forever  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God." 
(Heb,  x:  12.) 


302  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

Secondly — As  so  great  a  work  that  it  lays  the 
foundation  of  Christ's  peculiar  and  lofty  exaltation 
throughout  the  universe — "  Wherefore  God  also  hath 
highly  exalted  Him,"  etc.  (Phil,  ii :  6-n.) 

Thirdly — It  should  hold  such  a  place  as  to  cor- 
respond with  the  peculiar  and  wonderful  exaltation 
of  the  saints  in  glory. 

Fourthly — The  results  which  are  made  to  flow 
from  it  should  be  vast  enongh  to  ' '  satisfy ' '  the 
Redeemer  for  all  His  mighty  sufferings.  (Is. 
liii :  n.) 

These  conditions,  it  is  believed,  are  fully  answered 
by  the  present  hypothesis.  This  supposes  that  the 
scheme  of  Redemption  has  been  introduced  at  the 
dawning- time  of  the  Moral  Creation,  as  a  full  and 
final  exhibition  of  the  Divine  Mercy,  and  that  the 
history  of  this,  handed  down  through  the  coming 
ages  of  eternity,  and  attested  by  the  great  company 
of  the  redeemed,  will  be  fully  sufficient  to  make 
known  to  the  universe  forever  the  manifold  wisdom 
of  God,  and  become  the  grand,  crowning  motive  by 
which  all  worlds,  as  they  shall  be  successively  peo- 
pled, will  be  held  in  obedience  and  love  to  the  Al- 
mighty— and  thus  the  Redemption  of  this  single 
world  by  Jesus  Christ  will  lie  at  the  foundation  of 
the  entire  happiness  of  the  universe. 

In  this  view,  what  a  mighty  meaning  there  was 
in  the  dying  utterance  of  the  crucified  Savior — 
"It  is  finished;"  an  utterance  that  meant,  not 
merely  that  provision  had  thus  been  made  for  the 
world's  salvation,  but  that  also  a  foundation  had 


REDEMPTION  AND  THE  FUTURE  UNIVERSE.        303 

been  laid  for  the  holiness  and  happiness  of  a  moral 
universe  reaching  and  expanding  throughout  the 
endless  ages.* 

And  thus  the  grand  and  glorious  outcome  of  the 
great  Plan  of  Salvation,  as  Paul  depicts  it,  Eph.  i:io, 
is  to  be  realized,  when  he  will  ' '  gather  together 
in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in 
heaven  and  which  are  on  earth,  even  in  Him."  And 
thus  the  whole  moral  universe  of  God  will  be  for- 
ever revolving  around  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  its 


*  A  brief  quotation  from  DR.  CHALMERS  is  in  place  here,  showing 
how  even  great  men  sometimes  misapprehend  plain  Scripture  teach- 
ings. He  is  meeting  the  infidel  objection  that  the  Bible  plan  of  Re- 
demption involves  too  great  an  expenditure  for  this  single  World  ;  and 
he  undertakes  to  meet  it  by  the  two-fold  representation  that  the  time 
occupied  by  it  is  as  nothing  compared  with  the  endless  ages  ;  and  also 
that  the  transaction  itself  is  only  an  insignificant  one  as  compared  with 
a  multitude  of  other  of  the  unfoldings  of  God's  eternal  administration. 

His  statement  is  this — "The  time  is  coming  when  the  whole  of  this 
wondrous  history  will  be  looked  back  upon  by  the  eye  of  remembrance, 
and  be  regarded  as  one  incident  in  the  extended  annals  of  creation ; 
and  with  all  the  illustration,  and  all  the  glory  which  it  has  thrown  on 
the  character  of  the  Deity,  will  it  be  seen  as  a  single  step  in  the  evolu- 
tion of  His  designs  ;  and  as  long  as  the  time  may  appear  from  the  first 
adl  of  our  redemption  to  its  final  accomplishment,  and  close  and  exclu- 
sive as  we  may  think  the  attention  of  God  upon  it,  will  it  be  seen  that 
it  has  left  Him  room  enough  for  all  His  concerns  :  and  that  on  the  high 
scale  of  eternity  it  is  but  one  of  those  passing  and  ephemeral  trans- 
actions which  crowd  the  history  of  a  never-ending  administration." 

Now,  however  lofty  and  eloquent  the  above  language  may  be,  it  is 
still  most  eminently  untrue  to  fadl ;  for  there  is  not  a  word  from 
Genesis  to  Revelation,  indicating  the  plan  of  Redemption  to  be  an 
'•  ephemeral  transaction,"  but  every  Scripture  statement  points  to  it  as 
the  great  central  fadl  of  the  universe,  and  which  shall  unfold  itself  in 
ever  increasing  developments  of  greatness  and  grandeur  throughout 
the  "  ages  to  come."  "  All  things  were  created  for  Him."  (Col.  i  :  16. ) 

"  We  do  not  know  whether  it  [the  Atonement]  may  not  be  the  very 
best  means  of  preserving  the  innocence  and  happiness,  not  only  of  us, 
but  of  all  other  free  and  intelligent  beings."— TOWNSEND  NOTES,  Note 
25,  Part  vii. 


304  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

great  Center,  and  all  the  glory  of  it  be  seen  to  de- 
pend on  His  infinite  sacrifice  in  the  work  of  Re- 
demption. 

OBJECTION. 

i.  It  may  be  objected  that  this  twofold  appeal  to 
fear  and  affection  does  not  deter  men  from  sinning 
here  in  this  world,  and  therefore,  will  be  no  more 
influential  with  the  Future  Universe  of  beings. 
Answer  : 

(1)  We  cannot   safely   reason  from  the  experi- 
ence   of  downright  sinners   to  the  case  of  newly 
created  beings  who  have  not  sinned.     The  cases  are 
not  parallel.     There  are  hindrances  and  obstructions 
in  the  one  case  which  do  not  exist  in  the  other,  e.g. , 
in  the  case  of  the  sinning  one,  the  consciousness  of 
guilt,  the  shame  for  wrong  doing,  and  the  torments 
of  remorse,  obstruct  the  influence  of  these  motives. 
Also  the  fear  of  God's  presence  arising  from  con- 
scious guilt,  like  Adam  and  Eve  hiding  themselves 
' '  amongst  the  trees  of  the  garden  ;  ' '  and  the  ten- 
dency to  self-indulgence,  strengthened  by  gratifica- 
tion, are  all  to  be  resisted. 

In  the  case  of  an  innocent  being,  none  of  these 
obstacles  to  right  action  exist.  But 

(2)  The  objection  urged  is  that  men  in  this  world 
resist  all  appeals  to  fear  and  love,  and  persevere  in 
their    impenitence.     Not  all    of  them.     A  goodly 
number  do  actually  yield  to  the  influence  of  these 
motives,    renounce  their  selfish   and  wicked  lives, 
come  to  Christ  by  repentance  and  are  saved.     In 
the  case  of  all  true  Christians  these  motives  do  be- 


REDEMPTION  AND  THE  FUTURE  UNIVERSE.       305 

come  effective  in  ' '  turning  them  from  sin  to  holi- 
ness, and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God." 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  are  led  to  act  in  the 
direction  of  holy  living  ;  they  do  resist  "  the  world, 
the  flesh,  and  the  Devil  ;  "  and  that,  too,  oftentimes 
in  the  face  of  long  continued,  and  well  nigh  invete- 
rate habits  of  sinning.  They  do  overcome  all  these 
obstacles  to  a  holy  life — obstacles  far  greater  than 
any  encountered  by  a  newly  created  being — and 
thus  ' '  work  out  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling, ' ' 
and  finally  attain  it.  And  this  goes  far  towards 
substantiating  our  position,  that  the  future  universe 
can  and  will  be  saved  from  apostasy.  But 

(3)  Another  answer  to  the  objection  is — That 
this  result  of  confirmation  in  holiness  without  the 
experiment  of  sin,  has  actually  been  secured  in  the 
case  of  the  Unfallen  Angels.  Of  course,  we  re- 
ject the  theory  of  Dr.  Bushnell,  that  they  have 
sinned  and  been  redeemed,*  and  assume  that,  for 


*  DR.  BUSHNELL'S  Theory  in  respect  to  the  future  of  the  universe,  as 
developed  in  his  "  Nature  and  the  Supernatural,'1  is  this  : — He  assumes 
that  "  every  attempt  to  establish  a  moral  being  in  the  law  of  liberty 
and  spontaneous  obedience,  will  be  at  first  a  failure  ;"  that  the  angels 
of  heaven  have  sinned  and  been  redeemed;  and  that  "  there  is  some 
antecedent  necessity,  inherent  in  the  conception  of  finite  and  begun 
existences,  that,  in  their  training  as  powers,  they  should  be  passed 
through  the  double  experience  of  evil  and  good,  fall  and  redemption  ; '' 
(p.  132)  thus  making  it  impossible,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  to  confirm  a 
newly-created  being  in  holiness  without  a  previous  experiment  of  sin. 

This  commits  the  universe  forever  to  the  incursions  of  sin  with  the 
plan  of  Redemption  so  coming  in  as  eventually  to  deliver  the  sinning 
ones  from  the  guilt  and  power  of  transmission. 

But  the  assumption  that  sin  is  to  contaminate  all  created  beings  in 
all  worlds  forever,  is  repulsive,  and  throws  a  dark  shadow  upon  the 
future  of  the  umiverse.  We  shrink  from  such  a  view,  and  have  endeav- 
ored to  escape  it  by  an  equally  plausible  and  more  satisfactory  plan,  as 


306  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

some  reason,  they  have  never  rebelled  against  God, 
and  are  now  ministering  spirits  before  His  throne, 
and  established,  as  we  have  reason  to  believe,  in 
eternal  loyalty  to  Him.  What  has  secured  this  re- 
sult we  are  not  told  ;  but  the  fact  stated  by  the 
Apostle  in  Rev.  xiv  :  10,  that  the  wicked  will  be 
tormented  in  their  immediate  presence,  and  also  the 
other  fact  stated  in  i  Pet.  i :  12,  that  they  "desire 
to  look  into  ' '  the  wonders  and  mysteries  of  Re- 
demption, and  are  absorbed  in  its  contemplation  ; 
and  the  fact  also  that  they  unite  with  all  the  re- 
deemed from  this  world  in  singing  together  ' '  the 
song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb, ' '  leads  to  the  obvious 
conclusion  that  these  two  motives  operating  to- 
gether, and  appealing  to  fear  on  the  one  hand,  and 

we  regard  it,  which  is  developed  in  the  preceding  pages.  In  the  plan 
developed,  the  distinct  points  of  difference  are  the  following : 

1 .  In  the  plan  of  DR.   BUSHNELL,  sin  will  be  forever  invading  the 
universe.    In  the  foregoing  plan  the  progress  of  sin  will  eventually  be 
arrested  by  the  increase  of  motives  created  by  God's  dealings,  in  the 
way  of  judgment  and  mercy,  with  moral  beings  who  have  already 
sinned. 

2.  In  the  plan  of  DR.  BUSHNELL  the  Atonement  is  a  provision  to  de- 
liver moral  beings  from  the  power  of  sin  committed — the  sin  which  all 
newly-created  beings  will  commit  hereafter  and  forever.    In  the  fore- 
going plan,  the  influence  of  the  Atonement  comes  in  to  prevent  them 
from  committing  it. 

3.  DR.  BUSHNELL'S  plan  contemplates  an  experience  for  all  newly- 
created  beings  hereafter  and  forever,  similar  in  its  main  features  to 
that  gone  through  with  by  the  forgiven  sinners  of  this  world,  with  all 
the  accompanying  guilt,  remorse  and  conscious  degradation,  as  well  as 
the  severe  and  painful  discipline  and  suffering  necessary  to  deliver  the 
human  soul  from  the  power  of  its  own  sinfulness,  and  from  which, 
after  all,  it  is  "  scarcely  saved." 

The  present  plan  escapes  all  this,  in  that  it  represents  sin  as  ex- 
cluded, by  the  increase  of  motives,  from  the  experience  of  all  beings 
who  will  be  created  after  the  winding  up  of  this  world's  history. 


REDEMPTION  AND  THE  FUTURE  UNIVERSE.        307 

ajfeflion  on  the  other,  have  confirmed  them  in  eternal 
obedience  to  God. 

Now  what  has  been  done  can  be  done  again  ;  and 
the  conclusion  is  well  nigh  inevitable,  that  after  the 
judgment  is  passed,  God  will  carry  on  His  begun 
work  of  establishing  a  universe  of  moral  beings  eter- 
nally expanding  in  holiness  and  happiness,  and 
eternally  singing  the  praises  of  their  Redeemer  and 
God. 

2.  It  may  be  objected  again  that  newly  created 
beings  could  have  no  such  idea  of  the  love  and 
mercy  of  God  as  we  have,  not  having  had  either 
the  experience  of  sin,  or  the  mercy  of  deliverance 
from  it. 

This  is  granted.  But  it  is  believed  that  observa- 
tion on  the  consequences  of  sin  in  the  place  of  Future 
Punishment  would  lead  them  to  appreciate  the 
dreadfulness  of  sin  somewhat,  and  even  to  such  a 
degree  as  to  be  exceedingly  influential.  Also  the 
assumption  is,  that  observation  on  the  results  of 
obedience  to  God,  as  witnessed  in  heaven,  would 
ha\  e  the  eff e<5l  to  draw  them  strongly  towards  a  lov- 
ing submission  to  Him  ;  and  that  both  combined 
would  result  in  the  giving  up  of  themselves  to  Him 
in  eternal  loyalty. 

On  the  ground,  therefore,  of  mere  reason,  it  is 
safest  to  assume  that  the  plan  God  has  thus  far 
adopted  of  unfolding  to  the  universe  His  character 
as  a  Being  of  both  goodness  and  severity — of  jus- 
tice as  well  as  mercy,  He  will  carry  out  in  the  com- 
ing ages;  appealing  forever,  on  the  one  hand,  to 


308  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

the  Penalty  executed  upon  daring  transgressors,  and 
on  the  other  to  His  I/ove  and  Mercy  in  Christ  Jesus, 
to  the  redeemed. 

Indeed,  no  other  manifestation  of  Himself  appears 
possible,  and  at  the  same  time  truthful.  And  so  we 
conclude  that  this  twofold  manifestation  of  ' '  good- 
ness and  severity  "  is  to  be  eternal.  Therefore  the 
conclusion  must  also  be  that  the  doctrine  of  Endless 
Punishment  is  not,  as  is  so  often  asserted,  "  intrin- 
sically absurd;  "  and  that  the  Scripture  statements 
respecting  the  doom  of  the  finally  impenitent  are  to 
be  taken  in  their  plain  and  obvious  import. 

What  these  statements  are  will  be  seen  in  the  fol- 
lowing chapter. 


CHAPTER  X. 

BIBLE  TESTIMONY  UPON  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  END- 
LESS PUNISHMENT. 

Altho  the  doctrine  of  Future  and  Endless  Punish- 
ment is  a  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  Evangelical 
system,  yet  is  it  a  stern,  dark  and  terrible  doctrine, 
and  one  respecting  which  even  wise  and  good  men 
have  had  distressing  doubts  and  difficulties.* 

*  The  oft-quoted  passage  from  the  late  REV.  ALBERT  BARNES,  of  Phila- 
delphia, is  a  good  illustration  of  the  condition  into  which  many  supe- 
rior, but  not  specially  philosophical  or  analytical  minds,  are  thrown  by 
the  failure  to  grasp  the  conditions  of  this  problem  of  evil  and  its  pun- 
ishment. He  says — 

"These  are  real,  not  imaginary  difficulties.  *  *  *  I  confess  for  one, 
I  feel  them  and  feel  them  the  more  sensible  and  powerful,  the  more  I 
look  at  them,  and  the  longer  I  live.  *  *  *  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  a 
ray  of  light  on  this  subject,  which  I  had  not  when  the  subject  first 
flashed  across  my  soul.  I  have  read  to  some  extent  what  wise  and 
good  men  have  written.  I  have  looked  at  their  various  theories  and 
explanations.  I  have  endeavored  to  weigh  their  arguments,  for  my 
whole  soul  pants  for  light  and  relief  on  these  questions.  But  I  get 
neither  ;  and  in  the  distress  and  anguish  of  my  own  spirit,  I  confess 
that  I  see  no  light  whatever,  I  see  not  one  ray  to  disclose  to  me  why 
sin  came  into  the  world  ;  why  the  earth  is  strewn  with  the  dying  and 
the  dead,  and  why  men  must  suffer  to  all  eternity.  I  have  never  seen 
a  particle  of  light  thrown  on  these  subjects  that  has  given  a  moment's 
ease  to  my  tortured  mind.  *  *  *  It  is  all  dark,  dark,  dark  to  my  soul, 
and  I  cannot  disguise  it." 

And  yet  in  the  face  of  all  this  midnight  that  was  resting  on  his  soul, 
it  is  gratifying  to  see  with  what  unwavering  firmness  he  held  still  to 
the  Word  of  God.  No  going  after  superficial  explanations  or  doubtful 
exegesis  in  order  to  smooth  over  and  soften  down  the  stern  declarations 
of  revealed  truth,  but  an  unswerving,  unflinching  denunciation  of  the 
wrath  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  Bible  against  the  finally  impenitent. 

309 


3IO  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Confining  their  thoughts  mainly  to  this  world, 
and  taking  counsel  of  their  own  feelings  rather  than 
the  great,  underlying  principles  of  God's  moral  gov- 
ernment over  an  endless  universe,  they  have  come 
to  regard  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment  as 
' '  intrinsically  absurd, ' '  and  hence  conclude  that  the 
Bible  does  not  teach  it. 

To  meet  the  case  of  such,  it  has  seemed  desirable 
that  an  argument  be  constructed  outside  of  the  Bible, 
showing  the  reasonableness  of  endless  punishment. 
This  has  been  the  design  of  our  argument  thus  far, 
under  the  constant  pressure  of  this  conviction — that 
if  the  doctrine  can  be  shown  to  be  reasonable,  then 
the  way  will  be  cleared,  in  Christian  minds  at  least, 
for  accepting  without  question  the  plain  declarations 
of  the  Inspired  Word.  These  we  come  now  to  con- 
sider. 

As  preliminary  it  may  be  proper  to  notice 

i .  That  these  declarations  are  so  plain  and  obvi- 

He  might  not  understand  the  reason  or  see  the  benevolence  of  the  Di- 
vine declarations  respecting  future  and  endless  punishment,  and  all 
was  "  dark,  dark  "  to  him,  but  he  saw  that  the  declarations  themselves 
were  clear  and  unmistakable  ;  and,  therefore,  not  a  trace  of  misgiving 
can  be  detected  in  all  his  commer  taries  when  bringing  the  threatenings 
of  eternal  perdition  against  the  ungodly.  It  was  enough  for  him  that 
God  had  said  it.  Witness  his  commentary  on  Rev.  xxii :  n.  He  says 
— "  the  argument  for  the  eternal  punishment  of  the  wicked  is  as  strong 
as  that  for  the  eternal  happiness  of  the  righteous  :  and  if  the  one  is 
open  to  doubt,  there  is  no  security  for  the  performance  of  the  other." 

Witness  also  his  commentary  on  2  Thes.  i  :  7.  "  It  seems  difficult  to 
conceive,"  he  says  "  how  any  one  can  profess  to  hold  that  this  passage 
is  a  part  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  yet  deny  the  doctrine  of  future, 
eternal  punishment.  It  would  not  be  possible  to  state  that  doctrine  in 
clearer  language  than  this.  It  never  is  stated  in  clearer  language  in 
any  creed  or  confession  of  faith,  and  if  it  be  not  true  that  the  wicked 
will  be  punished  forever,  it  must  be  admitted  that  it  could  not  have 
been  possible  to  reveal  the  doctrine  in  human  language." 


BIBLE  TESTIMONY:    ENDLESS  PUNISHMENT.    311 

cms  that  men  of  the  strongest  minds,  who  reject  the 
doctrine,  are  yet  compelled  to  admit  that  the  Bible 
teaches  it. 

Says  Starr  King — "  I  freely  say  that  I  do  not  find 
the  doctrine  of  the  ultimate  salvation  of  all  men 
clearly  stated  in  any  text  or  in  any  discourse  that 
has  been  reported  from  the  lips  of  Christ. ' ' 

Says  Theodore  Parker — "  To  me  it  is  quite  clear 
that  Jesus  taught  the  doctrine  of  eternal  damnation, 
if  the  Evangelists — the  first  three  I  mean — are  to  be 
treated  as  inspired.  I  can  understand  His  language 
in  no  other  way." 

A  reference  to  the  passages  bearing  upon  the 
doctrine  in  question,  will  show  how  well  founded 
are  the  above  concessions. 

2.  For  eighteen  hundred    years  the    Christian 
Church  generally  has  accepted  the  doctrine  of  Future 
and  Endless  Punishment,  and  it  has  almost  univer- 
sally found  a  place  in  the  creeds  of  our  Evangelical 
Churches.     This  is  stronger  proof  that  it  is  in  the 
Bible,  than  any  proof  that  can  be  brought  to  the 
contrary. 

3.  This  doctrine  is  asserted  in  the  Bible  as  plainly 
as  it  can  be  expressed  in  human  language.     Even 
' '  the  resources  of  language  are  exhausted  to  express 
by  assertion  and  by  metaphor;  by  direct  statement 
and    by    implication ;    by  positive   affirmation,    as 
well  as  by  negative  denial,  that  the  wicked  are  to 
go  away  into  eternal  punishment,  as  surely  as  the 
righteous  into  eternal  life. ' ' 

4.  This  fact  is  clearly  and  calmly  stated,  like  any 


312  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

other  fact  in  the  Divine  administration  ;  and  no  in- 
timation is  given  that  the  benevolence  of  the  Al- 
mighty will  be  in  the  least  degree  compromised  by 
such  an  infliction.  Therefore 

5.  The  only  possible  way  in  which  these  facts  can 
be  reconciled  with  benevolence,  is  that,  in  some 
way  and  for  some  reason,  Endless  Punishment  is 
absolutely  inseparable  from  the  establishment  of  an 
endless  administration  over  an  endless  universe, 
which  sin  has  invaded. 

And  here  let  the  reader,  without  raising  the  ques- 
tion whether  the  passages  about  to  be  quoted  do 
certainly  prove  the  doctrine  or  not,  come  to  the  read- 
ing of  them  in  some  such  way  as  this — L,et  him  as- 
sume that  the  doctrine  of  Endless  Punishment  is 
probably  true,  and  then  see  whether  the  general 
drift  of  these  declarations  is  not  just  what  he  would 
expect  them  to  be  on  such  an  assumption.  Do  they 
not  at  least  lean  very  strongly  in  this  direction  ? 
And  then  think — Would  the  Bible  be  likely  even  to 
lean  towards  an  infinite  falsehood  ? 

SEC.  i.  General  attitude  of  the  Almighty  towards 
sin  in  this  world. 

It  will  aid  us  in  determining  how  the  Almighty 
will  deal  with  sin  in  the  future  world,  to  notice 
briefly  His  dealings  with  it  thus  far  in  this.* 


*  X,et  it  be  stated  here  that  our  main  object  is  not  to  consider  the 
nature  of  Future  Punishment,  but  only  its  duration.  What  the  nature 
of  the  future  and  endless  punishment  of  sin  involves  we  know  not  be- 
yond this — that  it  will  be  banishment  from  God,  and  confinement  with 
the  Fallen  Angels  in  the  great  prison-house  of  the  universe.  (Matt, 
xxv  :  41.)  But  we  do  know  that  it  will  be  a  perfectly  appropriate 


BIBLE    TESTIMONY  :     ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.      313 

I ,   God' s  past  dealings  with  sin. 

Verily  the  record  is  a  fearful  one.  God  has  held 
up  Himself  to  the  gaze  of  the  universe  as  a  moral 
Governor  who  will  not  allow  His  authority  to  be 
trampled  on. 

Notice  His  dealings  with  the  rebel  angels.  Says 
Jude  6  :  "  The  angels  which  kept  not  their  first 
estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation  [alluding  prob- 
ably to  some  peculiarity  of  their  probation],  He 
hath  reserved  in  everlasting  chains  under  darkness 
unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day. ' ' 

Says  Peter  (2  Pet.  ii :  4)  :  "  God  spared  not  the 
angels  that  sinned,  but  cast  them  down  to  hell." 
Spared  not — an  expression  designed  doubtless  to 
meet  those  who  would  insist  that  God  was  too  good 
to  punish,  and  would  spare  to  inflicl:  the  penalty  of 
sin. 

Our  Savior  declares  in  Matthew  xxv  :  41  that  the 
' '  everlasting  fire ' '  was  prepared  originally  ' '  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels. ' '  *  No  lack  of  firmness  and  ter- 
ribleness  in  dealing  with  the  first  sinners. 

How  has  He  dealt  with  the  sinners  of  this  world 
in  times  past  ?  He  drowned  the  old  world  for  its 

penalty — a  penalty  exactly  corresponding  with  the  tremendous  guilt 
of  rebellion  against  the  authority  of  God,  and  a  refusal  to  obey  Him, 
and  a  standing  memorial  to  the  universe,  and  especially  to  the  newly- 
created  beings  of  future  ages,  of  the  dreadful  nature  of  sin  and  the 
danger  of  committing  it. 

*  Universalists  often  assert  that  the  word  "Hell,"  as  used  in  the 
Bible,  meant  only  the  grave.  But  notice — In  both  of  the  above  verses 
it  is  the  doom  of  the  Fallen  Angels  that  is  spoken  of  ;  and  in  the  one  it 
is  called  "  hell,"  and  in  the  other  "  everlasting  fire,"  the  one  being  a 
definition  of  the  other ;  and  this  position,  therefore,  of  the  Universalists 
is  not  tenable. 


314  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

wickedness,  with  the  exception  of  a  single  family — 
swept  the  whole  of  them  to  destruction  just  because 
they  were  wicked. 

He  rained  fire  and  brimstone  upon  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah  and  the  cities  of  the  plain  for  their  wick- 
ss,  and  the  Dead  Sea  to-day  rolls  over  them. 

He  destroyed  seven  nations  in  the  land  of  Canaan 
for  the  same  reason.  In  one  slaughter  of  them  He 
' '  cast  down  upon  them  great  stones  from  heaven 
even  unto  Azekah  ' '  (Josh,  x  :  1 1 ) ,  so  that  more 
perished  by  the  hail-stones  than  the  sword  ;  and  the 
sun  stood  still  in  mid-heaven  a  whole  day  that  the 
slaughter  might  be  complete.  And  it  was  all  for 
their  wickedness ;  for  the  record,  in  Deuteronomy 
ix :  5,  is  :  "  For  the  wickedness  of  these  nations  the 
lyord  thy  God  doth  drive  them  out  from  before  thee. ' ' 
Still  stronger  is  the  statement  in  Leviticus  xviii  :  25  : 
' '  The  land  is  defiled  ;  therefore  I  do  visit  the  in- 
iquity thereof  upon  it. "  /  do  it.  It  was  not  merely 
one  nation  dispossessing  another,  but  God  coming 
down  upon  them  in  righteous  indignation  for  their 
wickedness.  No  lack  of  energy  in  dealing  with 
those  nations  for  their  sin. 

Then,  too,  He  visited  the  wicked  Israelites  in  the 
wilderness  with  pestilence  and  earthquakes,  and  fire 
and  fiery  serpents,  until  only  two  out  of  the  whole 
nation,  over  twenty  years  old  when  they  left  Egypt, 
remained  alive.  And  this  wholesale  destruction 
came  upon  them  for  their  wickedness,  and  was  God's 
direct  and  personal  visitation. 

He  has,  therefore,  shown  Himself  a  fearful  Being 


BIBLE    TESTIMONY  I     ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.      315 

in  the  unrelenting  hostility  to  sin  manifested  when- 
ever He  has  taken  it  in  hand,  either  in  the  angels, 
or  in  the  past  ages  of  the  world. 

2.  How  is  He  dealing  with  it  now?  The  death 
that  we  all  fear,  and  that  shall  ere  long  overtake 
us  all,  comes  upon  men  for  their  sin,  and  is  the  ani- 
madversion of  a  righteous  God  upon  the  wickedness 
of  the  world.  "  Death  passed  upon  all  men,  for 
that  all  have  sinned. ' '  And  ' '  the  sting  of  death  is 
sin,"  and  sinners  on  a  death-bed  find  it  so. 

Look  also  at  all  the  woes  and  miseries  which  God 
still  makes  to  come  on  men  for  their  wickedness. 
' '  The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  agaisnt 
all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men.' '  (Rom. 
i :  1 8.)  "  His  power  and  His  wrath  is  against  all 
them  that  forsake  Him"  (Ezra  viii :  22.)  In  ac- 
cordance with  this  He  has  made  this  wicked  world 
a  slaughter-pen  and  a  charnel-house — a  world  of 
tears  and  groans,  and  sufferings  and  death.  He 
' '  visits  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children. ' ' 
He  makes  "  the  way  of  the  transgressors  hard;" 
and  ' '  the  wages  of  sin  is  death  ' '  by  His  constant 
visitation.  "  The  face  of  the  Lord  is  against  them 
that  do  evil. "  "  The  way  of  the  ungodly  shall  per- 
ish." "The  curse  of  the  Lord  is  in  the  house  of 
the  wicked."  "  Behold,  the  righteous  shall  be  re- 
compensed in  the  earth  ;  much  more  the  wicked  and 
the  sinner. ' ' 

Notice  also,  the  attitude  of  God  towards  sin  in 
these  passages  :  ' '  Behold,  the  Lord  cometh  out  of  His 
place  to  punish  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  for  their 


316  THE   ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

iniquity."  (Is.  xxvi :  21.)  Also  Deuteronomy 
xxxii :  35,  41  :  "To  Me  belongeth  vengeance  and 
recompense  ;  their  foot  shall  slide  in  due  time,  for 
the  day  of  their  calamity  is  at  hand,  and  the  things 
that  shall  come  upon  them  make  haste.  ...  If 
I  whet  my  glittering  sword,  and  Mine  hand  take 
hold  on  judgment,  I  will  render  vengeance  to  Mine 
enemies,  and  will  reward  them  that  hate  Me. ' '  Also, 
Nahum  i :  2,  "  God  is  jealous  and  the  Lord  reveng- 
eth ;  the  Lord  revengeth  and  is  furious ;  the  Lord 
will  take  vengeance  on  His  adversaries,  and  He 
reserveth  wrath  for  His  enemies. ' ' 

And  all  the  evils  and  sufferings  of  the  world  are 
His  own  personal  visitation.  "Shall  there  be  evil 
in  a  city,  and  the  Lord  hath  not  done  it  ?  "  (Amos 
iii :  6. )  And  thus  God  is  warning  men  in  trumpet 
tones  to  beware  of  sin  because  of  the  judgments  that 
He  makes  to  follow  it. 

But  the  most  distinct  and  energetic  appeal  is  made 
by  our  Savior  Himself,  in  Luke  vii  :  4,  5  :  "Be  not 
afraid  of  them  that  kill  the  body,  and  after  that  have 
no  more  that  they  can  do.  But  I  will  forewarn  you 
whom  ye  shall  fear  :  fear  Him  which,  after  He  hath 
killed,  hath  power  to  cast  into  hell  ;  yea,  I  say  unto 
you,  fear  Him." 

Notice  also  that  the  expression  ' '  the  wrath  of  God, ' ' 
as  directed  against  sin,  is  used  in  the  Bible  no  less 
than  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  times,  as  any  one 
may  readily  see  by  consulting  a  concordance.  In 
fact,  the  pages  of  inspiration  fairly  blaze  with  the 
wrath  of  God  against  sin.  And  so,  by  all  these  deal- 


BIBLE    TESTIMONY  :'    ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.      317 

ings  with  sin,  God  lias  been  and  is  holding  up  its 
enormity  and  heinousness,  as  well  as  His  own  per- 
sonal detestation  of  it,  to  the  gaze  of  the  universe. 

3.  We  notice  how  He  will  treat  it  hereafter — not 
forever.  We  only  note  the  fa<5l  now  that  the  finger 
of  inspiration,  pointing  a  little  way  into  the  future, 
discloses  still  the  Almighty  dealing  with  the  wicked 
in  a  fearful  and  terrible  manner.  John  the  Baptist 
came  preaching  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea,  "Flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come.''1  And  Paul,  in  i  Thessalo- 
nians  i :  10,  speaks  of  ' '  Jesus,  which  delivered  us 
from  the  wrath  to  come. ' '  That  is  a  terrible  expres- 
sion, and  it  must  refer  to  something  in  the  future  that 
is  exceedingly  dreadful.  We  find  also  in  Matthew 
xxv  :  41,  after  the  winding  up  of  this  world's  his- 
tory, and  amid  the  revelations  of  the  final  judgment- 
day,  that  the  Judge  will  say  to  those  on  the  left 
hand,  "  Depart  from  Me,  ye  cursed." 

Also  in  Revelation  xxi  :  8,  the  declaration  is : 
"  But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abomin- 
able, and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sor- 
cerers, and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their 
part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and  brim- 
stone ;  which  is  the  second  death. ' ' 

And  so,  as  Revelation  gives  us  this  last  glimpse 
of  the  wicked — as  we  peer  a  little  way  into  the  future 
to  ascertain  their  condition,  we  see  them  only  sink- 
ing in  torment,  and  quailing  beneath  the  heavy 
thunderbolts  of  God's  wrath.  Notice,  it  is  the  last 
glimpse,  with  nothing  to  relieve  it — not  a  word  in- 
timating any  change  afterward  ;  not  a  syllable  from 


318  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Genesis  to  Revelation  telling  of  any  different  expe- 
rience in  the  future  ;  not  a  ray  of  light  indeed  from 
any  source  to  relieve  the  dreadful  darkness  ;  and,  to 
all  appearance,  a  night  of  desolation,  with  no  morn 
beyond  it,  is  closing  about  them.  What  do  we  pro- 
perly infer  from  this  ?  Plainly  this  :  that  God  will 
continue  to  deal  with  sinners  in  the  future  world, 
even  as  He  has  here,  only  with  far  greater  severity  ; 
that  He  will  array  Himself  against  them  there  with 
no  less  terrible  energy  than  here  ;  and  even  make  a 
more  clear,  decided  and  energetic  appeal  to  the 
universe  by  their  punishment  in  the  future  world 
than  He  has  made  thus  far  in  this.  What  depth 
and  dreadfulness  of  meaning,  therefore,  to  the  infi- 
nite mind  must  there  be  in  that  compassionate  appeal 
of  God  to  sinful  men  :  "  O  that  they  were  wise,  that 
they  understood  this,  they  would  consider  their 
latter  end  !  "  (Deut.  xxxii :  29.) 

From  these  Bible  representations  of  God's  past 
and  present  dealings  with  sin,  we  see  how  terrible 
and  unrelenting  is  His  hatred  of  it;  and  infer  logically 
that  His  anger  will  burn  against  it,  in  the  future 
world  with  at  least  equal  fearfulness. 

We  turn  now  to  the  Bible  representations  of  God's 
dealings  with  sin  in  the  future  world. 

SEC.  2.    The  wicked  excluded  from  Heaven. 

Matt,  ii  :  20.  Except  your  righteousness  shall 
exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
ye  shall  in  no  case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven. 

vii  :  14.      Strait  is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the 


BIBLE    TESTIMONY  :     ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.      319 

way  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that 
find  it. 

vii :  21.  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord, 
Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  Heaven. 

vii :  23.  I  never  knew  you;  depart  from  me  ye 
that  work  iniquity. 

xviii :  3.  Except  ye  be  converted  and  become  as 
little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  Heaven. 

Mark  x  :  15.  Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the 
kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall  not  enter 
therein. 

xii :  9.  He  that  deniethme  before  men,  shall  be 
denied  before  the  angels  of  God. 

Luke  xiii :  24.  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate  ;  for  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter 
in  and  shall  not  be  able. 

xiii :  27.  Depart  from  me  all  ye  workers  of 
iniquity. 

xiii :  28.  There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing 
of  teeth,  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham  and  Isaac  and 
Jacob  and  all  the  prophets  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  you  yourselves  thrust  out. 

John  iii :  3.  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God. 

i  Cor.  i :  9.  The  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Be  not  deceived  ;  neither 
fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers 
of  themselves  with  mankind;  10,  nor  thieves,  nor 
covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extor- 
tioners, shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. 


320  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

Gal.  v  :  2 1 .  They  which  do  such  things  shall  not 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Eph.  v  :  5.  No  whoremonger  nor  unclean  person, 
nor  covetous  man  who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any 
inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of  God. 

Heb.  4:1.  I<et  us,  therefore,  fear  lest,  a  promise 
being  left  us  of  entering  into  his  rest,  any  of  you 
should  seem  to  come  short  of  it. 

Rev.  xxi :  27.  There  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into 
it  any  thing  that  defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh 
abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie. 

Now  if  these  passages  do  not  imply  an  unqualified 
exclusion  of  the  wicked  from  Heaven — such  an 
exclusion  as  would  be  inconsistent  with  their  being 
ever  admitted  there,  then  the  idea  cannot  be  conveyed 
in  human  language. 

SEC.  3.    The  wicked  sent  to  a  place  of  punishment. 

Matt,  vii  :  13.  Wide  is  the  gate  and  broad  is  the 
way  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many  there  be 
which  go  in  thereat. 

iii :  12.  The  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  cast 
out  into  outer  darkness;  there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth. 

xiii :  40.  As,  therefore,  the  tares  are  gathered  and 
burned  in  the  fire;  so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  this 
world.  41.  The  Son  of  Man  shall  send  forth  His 
angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  His  kingdom 
all  things  that  offend,  and  them  which  do  iniquity. 
42.  And  shall  cast  them  into  a  furnace  of  fire;  there 
shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

xiii  :  49.  So  shall  it  be  at  the  end  of  the  world; 


BIBLE    TESTIMONY  :     ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.      32! 

the  angels  shall  come  forth  and  sever  the  wicked 
from  among  the  just.  50.  And  shall  cast  them  into 
the  furnace  of  fire;  there  shall  be  wailing  and 
gnashing  of  teeth. 

xxii  :  13.  Bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and  take  him 
away,  and  cast  him  into  outer  darkness;  there  shall 
be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

xxiv  :  50.  The  Lord  of  that  servant  shall  come  in 
a  day  when  he  looketh  not  for  Him,  and  in  an  hour 
that  he  is  not  aware  of.     51.  And  shall  cut  him 
asunder,  and  appoint  him  his  portion  with  the  hypo 
crites;  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

xxv :  30.  And  cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant 
into  outer  darkness;  there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth. 

xxv  :  41 .  Then  shall  He  say  also  to  them  on  the 
left  hand,  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting 
fire,  prepared  for  the  Devil  and  his  angels. 

Luke  xvi :  22.  The  rich  man  also  died  and  was 
buried.  23.  And  in  Hell  he  lifted  his  eyes  being  in 
torments,  and  seeth  Abraham  afar  off  and-  Lazarus 
in  his  bosom.  24.  And  he  cried  and  said,  "  Father 
Abraham,  have  mercy  on  me,  and  send  Lazarus 
that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water  and 
cool  my  tongue;  for  I  am  tormented  in  this  flame. 

John  v  :  28.  All  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear 
His  voice.  29.  And  shall  come  forth;  they  that 
have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life;  and 
they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
damnation. 

Rom.  ii  :  5.  But  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent 


J22  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

heart,  treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the 
day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judg- 
ment of  God. 

ix  :  22.  What  if  God,  willing  to  show  His  wrath, 
and  to  make  His  power  known,  endured  with  much 
longsuffering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruc- 
tion ? 

Phil,  iii :   19.  Whose  end  is  destruction. 

2  Thes.  i :  7,  8.  The  I^ord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed 
from  Heaven  with  His  mighty  angels,  in  flaming 
fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God, 
and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  our  I^ord  Jesus 
Christ. 

ii :  12.  That  they  all  might  be  damned  who  be- 
lieved not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unright- 
eousness. 

Heb.  x  :  26.  If  we  sin  wilfully  after  that  we  have 
received  the  knowledge  of  truth,  there  remaineth  no 
more  sacrifice  for  sins,  27.  But  a  certain  fearful 
looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation,  which 
shall  devour  the  adversaries.  28.  He  that  despised 
Moses'  law  died  without  mercy,  under  two  or  three 
witnesses.  29.  Of  how  much  sorer  punishment 
suppose  ye  he  shall  be  thought  worthy  who  hath 
trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God.  30.  Vengeance 
belongeth  unto  Me,  I  will  recompense,  saith  the 
L,ord.  31.  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  living  God. 

xii :  29.  For  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire. 

i  Pet.  iv  :  1 8.  If  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved, 
where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  ? 


BIBLE    TESTIMONY  :     ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.      323 

2  Pet.  ii  :  4.  God  spared  not  the  angels  that 
sinned,  but  cast  them  down  to  Hell,  and  delivered 
them  into  chains  of  darkness  to  be  reserved  unto 
judgment. 

ii :  9.  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly 
out  of  temptation,  and  to  reserve  the  unjust  unto 
the  day  of  judgment  to  be  punished. 

ii :  12.  And  shall  utterly  perish  in  their  own  cor- 
ruption. 

iii  :  7.  The  heavens  and  the  earth  which  are 
now,  by  the  same  word  are  kept  in  store,  reserved 
unto  fire  against  the  day  of  judgment  and  perdition 
of  ungodly  men. 

Rev.  xiv  :  9.  If  any  man  worship  the  beast  and  his 
image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead  or  in  his 
hand,  10.  The  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the 
wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture 
into  the  cup  of  His  indignation,  and  he  shall  be  tor- 
mented with  fire  and  brimstone,  in  the  presence  of 
the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb. 

xix  :  20.  And  the  beast  was  taken  and  with  him 
the  false  prophet.  .  .  .  These  both  were  cast 
alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimstone. 

xx  :  15.  And  whosoever  was  not  found  written 
in  the  book  of  life,  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire. 

xxi :  8.  But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and 
the  abominable,  and  murderers,  and  whoremongers, 
and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have 
their  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and 
brimstone;  which  is  the  second  death. 

SEC.  4.    The  punishment  of  the  wicked  endless. 


324  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

Matt,  xii :  32.  Whosoever  speaketh  a  word  against 
the  Son  of  Man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him:  but  who- 
soever speaketh  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall 
not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither 
in  the  world  to  come;  [Mark]  hath  never  forgive- 
ness, but  is  in  danger  of  eternal  damnation. 

Matt,  xviii :  8.  If  thy  hand  or  thy  foot  offend 
thee,  cut  them  off  and  cast  them  from  thee;  it  is 
better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  halt  or  maimed, 
rather  than  having  two  hands  or  two  feet  to  be  cast 
into  everlasting  fire.  [Mark.]  Into  the  fire  that 
never  shall  be  quenched;  where  their  worm  dieth 
not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched. 

xxv  :  46.  "  And  these  shall  go  away  into  ever- 
lasting (aionion*)  punishment;  but  the  righteousness 
into  life  eternal. ' '  (aionion.}  Now  if  the  ' '  life  ' '  of 
the  righteous  be  endless,  and  the  ' '  punishment ' '  of 
the  wicked  be  not  endless,  then,  in  this  verse,  the 
same  word,  and  in  the  same  connection,  is  applied 
to  things  between  which  there  is  an  infinite  differ- 
ence ;  an  inconsistency  and  absurdity  in  the  use  of 
language  which  has  no  parallel  in  the  weakest  of 
human  productions. 

xxvi :  24.  ' '  It  had  been  good  for  that  man  if  he 
had  not  been  born."  What  is  this  but  existence  a 
curse  ?  This  was  spoken  of  Judas.  But  if  Judas 
had,  at  length,  an  eternity  of  happiness,  after  no 
matter  how  much  of  finite  suffering,  his  existence 
would  have  been  an  infinite  blessing. 

Luke  iii :  17.  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he 
will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor,  and  will  gather  the 


BIBLE    TESTIMONY  :     ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.      325 

wheat  into  his  garner ;  but  the  chaff  he  will  burn 
with  fire  unquenchable. 

xvi  :  26.  "  And  besides  all  this,  between  us  and 
you  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed ;  so  that  they  which 
would  pass  from  hence  to  you  cannot;  neither  can 
they  pass  to  us  that  would  come  from  thence"  And, 
therefore,  can  never  enter  Heaven. 

John  iii  :  36.  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath 
everlasting  life  ;  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son, 
shall  not  see  life;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
him. 

viii :  21.  Ye  shall  die  in  your  sins;  whither  I  go 
ye  cannot  come. 

2  Thes.  i :  9.  Who  shall  be  punished  with  ever- 
lasting destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  from  the  glory  of  His  power. 

2  Pet.  ii  :  17.  These  are  wells  without  water, 
clouds  that  are  carried  with  a  tempest;  to  whom  the 
mist  of  darkness  is  reserved  forever. 

Jude  6.  ' '  The  angels  which  kept  not  their  first 
estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation,  He  hath  reserved 
in  everlasting  (aidiois)  chains  under  darkness  unto 
the  judgment  of  the  great  day. ' '  This  word  is  used 
in  only  one  other  place,  Rom.  i :  20 ;  and  there  in 
reference  to  the  duration  of  God's  power — "His 
eternal  {aidiois}  power  and  Godhead." 

7.  Even  as  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  the  cities 
about  them — are  set  forth  for  an  example  suffering 
the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire. 

13.  Wandering  stars,  to  whom  is  reserved  the 
blackness  of  darkness  forever. 


326  THE   ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

Rev.  xiv  :  1 1 .  ' '  And  the  smoke  of  their  torment 
ascendeth  up  forever;  and  they  have  no  rest  day  or 
night. ' '  But  annihilation  is  eternal  rest. 

xx:io.  "The  Devil  that  deceived  them,  was 
cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  where  the 
beast  and  the  false  prophets  are,  and  shall  be  tor- 
mented day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever. ' '  (eis  tons 
aionas  ton  aionon.}  But  in  Rev.  v  :  13,  John  heard 
the  whole  animated  creation  saying — ' '  Blessing  and 
honor  and  glory  and  power  be  unto  Him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne  and  unto  the  Lamb  forever  and 
ever."  (eis  tons  aionas  tonaionon)  the  expression  in 
each  being  precisely  the  same,  and  used  by  the  same 
writer. 

Now  in  view  of  such  language,  and  used  in  such 
connections,  to  assert  that  the  punishment  of  the 
finally  wicked  is  less  than  endless,  is  to  convict  the 
Author  of  the  Bible  with  unwarrantable  and  even 
wicked  trifling  ;  because  common  men,  such  as  the 
Bible  was  manifestly  written  for,  could  get  no  idea 
of  limited  punishment  from  such  declarations ;  for 
if  they  do  not  convey  the  idea  of  endless  punish- 
ment, then  it  cannot  be  expressed  in  the  language 
in  which  the  Bible  was  written. 

Now  let  anyone  compare  the  preceding  quota- 
tions with  the  list  of  Bible  references  made  out  by 
Canon  Farrar  in  the  Excursus  to  his  ' '  Eternal 
Hope,"  in  his  effort  to  sustain  the  doctrine  of  a 
Future  Probation,  and  he  will  see  how  indefinite, 
how  weak  and  how  utterly  inconclusive  they  are 
as  compared  with  the  foregoing. 


BIBLE    TESTIMONY  :     ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.      327 

SEC.  5.  DoElrine  of  the  Old  Testament. 

Many  have  the  impression  that  the  doctrine  of 
Future  Punishment  is  not  taught  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. But  note  the  following  passages — 

Ps.  ix :  17.  "The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into 
hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God. ' '  The  hell 
here  spoken  of  must  mean  more  than  the  grave  ;  for 
the  grave  is  the  common  lot  of  both  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked  ;  while  this  is  a  particular  visitation 
upon  the  wicked  ;  and  what  can  it  mean  but  pun- 
ishment after  death  ? 

Ps.  xi  :  6.  ' '  Upon  the  wicked  He  shall  rain  snares, 
fire  and  brimstone  and  a  horrible  tempest  ;  this 
shall  be  the  portion  of  their  cup. ' ' 

Ps.  xcii  17.  "  When  the  wicked  spring  as  the 
grass,  and  when  all  the  workers  of  iniquity  do  flour- 
ish ;  it  is  that  they  shall  be  destroyed  forever. ' ' 

Is.  xxxiii :  14.  "  The  sinners  in  Zion  are  afraid  ; 
fearfulness  hath  surprised  the  hypocrites.  Who 
among  us  shall  dwell  with  devouring  fire?  who 
among  us  shall  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings  ?  ' ' 

Daniel  xii  :  2.  "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in 
the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlast- 
ing life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  con- 
tempt ; ' '  the  word  translated  everlasting,  being,  in 
the  original  Hebrew,  the  same  in  reference  to  both 
characters. 

Mai.  iv:i.  "  For  behold  the  day  cometh  that  shall 
burn  as  an  oven  ;  and  all  the  proud,  yea  and  all 
that  do  wickedly  shall  be  stubble,  and  the  day  that 
cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts, 


328  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root  nor  branch." 
The  scriptures,  therefore,  both  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  do  plainly  teach  the  doctrine  of  Future 
and  Endless  Punishment.  And  here,  lest  some 
reader  may  be  disposed  again  to  raise  the  inquiry — 
Why  should  such  a  system  have  been  created  ?  and 
to  question  the  Divine  benevolence  in  allowing  its 
existence,  let  it  be  stated  again,  that  the  present 
moral  system,  even  though  burdened  with  endless 
sufferings,  is  infinitely  better  than  none  at  all.  And, 
furthermore,  that  God's  character  for  perfect  benevo- 
lence is  fully  vindicated  by  the  fact  that  he  has  done, 
from  the  outset,  all  that  could  be  done  to  prevent  both 
sin  and  suffering ;  in  accordance  with  His  own 
declaration,  so  often  quoted  in  the  preceding  pages 
' '  What  could  have  been  done  more  to  my  vineyard 
that  I  have  not  done  in  it."  Also  the  passage 
"  Not  willing  that  any  should  perish," — not  even  a 
single  one,  can  only  mean  this:  That  he  saves  every 
individual  of  the  human  race  whom  he  can  save. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
PRACTICAL  MATTERS. 

I.   ABSURDITIES  OF  UNI  VERBALISM . 

In  this  proposed  arraignment  of  Universalist  doc- 
trine, the  writer  is  not  designing  to  attack  the  Uni- 
versalist Church  as  a  body  of  believers  in  Chris- 
tianity, i.  e.,  if  it  is  possible  to  make  a  distinction 
between  a  church  and  its  doctrines — between  the 
Universalist  Church  and  Universalism.  For  while 
he  grants  that  a  Universalist  may  be  a  Christian,  he 
is  equally  decided  in  saying  that  Universalism  is  not 
Evangelical  Christianity. 

To  those  who  have  been  educated  in  the  Univer- 
salist Church,  and  have  grown  up  in  it  with  their 
fathers,  this  arraignment  will  seem  like  an  ' '  idle 
tale."  Such,  of  course,  will  treat  it  with  neglect. 
It  is  not  this  class  whom  the  writer  has  in  view  ; 
but  those  members  of  evangelical  churches,  who,  on 
looking  over  into  the  Universalist  fold,  and  seeing 
the  sheep  and  the  lambs  feeding  so  peacefully  and 
securely,  are  anxious  to  get  over  into  the  same  fold, 
as  if  it  were  a  place  of  entire  security,  and  as  if  there 
were  no  dangers  near  it,  and  no  dark  clouds  brood- 
ing over  it. 

i .  In  this  arraignment  it  is  proposed  to  notice  for 
one  thing  the  distorted  view  of  the  Divine  Charafler 

329 


330  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

•which  Universalism  presents.  From  the  Univer- 
salist  standpoint,  the  Almighty  is  usually  thought 
of  only  as  a  Father,  and  the  paternal  side  of  His 
character  is  almost  the  only  one  insisted  on.  The 
fact  that  He  is  also  the  great  Moral  Governor  of 
the  universe,  and  the  responsible  Guardian  of  its 
welfare,  and  bound  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  His 
government  at  all  hazards,  and  any  and  every  sac- 
rifice necessary,  is  apt  to  be  lost  sight  of. 

Now  if  He  is  only  a  Father,  in  the  sentimental 
sense  in  which  He  is  usually  spoken  of,  why  is  He 
called  "  the  great  and  dreadful  God,"  "  a  consum- 
ing fire  ' '  who  ' '  will  render  vengeance  to  His  ene- 
mies, and  will  reward  them  that  hate  Him,"  who 
will  ' '  come  at  length  with  fire,  and  His  chariots 
with  a  whirlwind,"  who  will  "render  His  anger 
with  fury,  and  His  rebuke  with  flames  of  fire, ' '  and 
who  says  ' '  vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  repay  saith 
the  Lord?" 

Attention  is  thus  called  to  these  passages,  not  to 
dim  at  all  the  great  and  grand  conception  of  the 
Fatherhood  of  God,  than  which  nothing  can  be  more 
attractive  and  precious,  but  to  show  the  absurdity 
and  inconsistency  of  those  who  think  only  of  this 
side  of  His  character  ;  and  who  also  resolve  all  this 
dreadful  description  of  His  dealings  with  sinners 
into  a  mere  fatherly  correction  of  His  children  in 
order  to  their  instruction  and  benefit ;  like  the 
parental  training  in  the  earthly  family.  What  ele- 
ments of  domestic  training  and  fatherhood  are  there 
in  the  expressions  ' '  rendering  vengeance  to  His 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  331 

enemies,"  and  "  rewarding  them  that  hate  Him  ?  " 
What  exhibition  of  fatherhood  was  there  in  the 
Deluge  that  swept  the  whole  wicked  world  to  de- 
struction for  its  wickedness?  What  reformatory 
correction  was  there  in  the  rain  of  fire  and  brimstone 
upon  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  and  the  cities  of  the 
plain?  This  is  not  mere  fatherhood,  but  the  exhi- 
bition of  the  righteous  indignation  of  an  offended 
Sovereign,  jealous  of  His  despised  authority,  and 
determined  that  He  will  not  be  trifled  with  by 
wicked  men,  but  will  vindicate  His  insulted  honor 
and  majesty.  And  thus,  through  all  the  ages,  has 
He  been  warning  all  the  world  against  disobedience 
to  His  command,  and  telling  them  of  the  danger  and 
dreadfulness  of  sinning  against  Him. 

And  now  if  God  is  terrible  as  well  as  kind  and 
merciful,  why  not  so  represent  Him?  Why  per- 
sistently keep  out  of  sight  the  awful  fact  that  He  is 
' '  a  consuming  fire  ' '  to  all  sinners  who  persist  in 
their  wickedness  ? 

And  why  are  the  workings  of  the  Divine  govern- 
ment which  are  transpiring  under  our  very  eyes,  so 
persistently  ignored  ?  It  is  indeed  a  paternal  gov- 
ernment that  He  is  wielding,  and  the  beautiful  work- 
ings of  human  society,  in  many  of  its  aspects, 
abundantly  show  it.  But  what  mean  the  fire,  the 
storm  and  the  cyclone,  and  the  awful  visitations  of 
death  and  destruction  in  every  form  of  dreadful- 
ness  ?  It  is  indeed  a  paternal  government,  but  why 
shut  out  of  view  the  fact  that  it  has  an  awful  side  to 
it  ?  Why  make  the  Divine  government  a  mere  one- 


332  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

sided  affair  right  in  the  face  of  its  tremendous  mani- 
festations of  severity  ? 

What  impressions  does  the  Almighty  mean  to  give 
us  of  the  nature  of  His  government,  if  it  be  not  that 
in  these  manifest  outworkings  it  is  one  of  awful 
sternness  as  well  as  of  kindness  and  love  ?  What  are 
these  terrible  visitations  but  the  animadversion  of  a 
righteous  God  upon  the  wickedness  of  men,  His  im- 
pressive testimony  against  their  forgetfulness  of 
Him,  their  ingratitude,  their  mad  rush  after  the 
money  and  the  merchandise,  and  their  utter  failure 
to  recognize  their  dependence  upon  Him  ? 

And  now  if  the  Almighty  has  a  terrible  side  to 
Him,  will  He  not  always  have  it  ?  And  if  He  pour 
out  the  vials  of  His  wrath  upon  sin  here,  will  He 
not  hereafter  ?  He  warns  men  in  trumpet  tones  to 
beware  of  sin  on  account  of  the  fearful  judgments 
that  He  makes  to  follow  it.  Will  He  change,  and 
treat  sin  hereafter  in  a  more  lenient  manner  ?  Will 
His  wrath  against  it  burn  with  less  fury  at  any 
future  time  ?  And  if  a  man  defies  Him  during  his 
whole  lifetime  on  earth,  and  blasphemes  His  name, 
and  tramples  on  His  Sabbaths,  and  wallows  in 
filthiness,  and  dies  with  an  oath  upon  his  lips,  will 
God  overlook  all  that  wickedness  hereafter  ?  Says 
the  Bible  respecting  Him,"  Thou  hatest  all  workers 
of  iniquity. ' '  Will  He  change,  He  who  is  ' '  the  same 
yesterday,  to-day  and  forever  ?  ' ' 

2 .  Equally  absurd  and  one-sided  is  the  Universal  - 
ist  view  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  ever  por- 
trayed as  all  gentleness  and  love,  nothing  but  love — 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  333 

the  very  embodiment  of  sentimental  affection,  and 
one  who  could  speak  only  in  words  of  womanly 
tenderness. 

What  mean  then  His  withering  denunciations  of 
the  hypocritical  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ?  What  mean 
the  awful  woes  against  Bethsaida  and  Capernaum 
and  the  other  cities  that  rejected  Him  and  His 
mighty  works,  and  the  fearful  declarations  that  they 
should  receive  the  ' '  greater  damnation  ?  ' '  What 
means  that  terrible  expression,  "  The  wrath  of  the 
Lamb  f  ' '  Who  is  the  Lamb  ?  It  is  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ — the  Lamb  of  Calvary.  Where  is  He  when 
this  wrath  is  thus  exhibited  ?  On  the  throne  of  the 
universe ;  and  the  wicked  ones  of  this  world  are 
represented,  amid  the  scenes  of  the  final  judgment, 
as  calling  on  the  rocks  and  the  mountains  to  fall  on 
them,  and  "  hide  them  from  the  face  of  Him  that 
sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb."  Even  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the 
great  men,  and  the  rich  men,  and  tfie  chief  captains 
and  the  mighty  men,  the  bond  and  the  free,  all  are 
represented  as  hiding  themselves  from  that  burning 
wrath.  (Rev.  vi  :  15,  16.) 

What  means  the  representation  of  Him  also  at 
the  final  judgment  when  He  will  say  to  those  on 
the  left  hand,  "Depart  ye  cursed?"  What  mean 
the  tremendous  scenes  that  shall  accompany  the 
winding  up  of  this  world's  history,  when  "The 
Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with 
His  mighty  angels  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance 
on  them  that  know  not  God."  (2  Thes.  i :  7,  8.) 


334  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

Now  wky,  we  ask,  should  the  representation  of 
the  character  of  the  Lord  Jesus  be  confined  to  a  mere 
representation  of  sentimental  tenderness,  while 
these  other  aspects  of  His  character  are  blazing  so 
terribly  on  the  pages  of  Inspiration  ?  How  absurd, 
in  estimating  a  character,  to  push  out  of  view  one 
whole  side  of  it ! 

3.  We  turn  now  to  another  instance  of  absurd 
reasoning  and  representation — The  treatment  which 
Universalism  gives  the  figurative  language  of  the 
Bible  respecting  the  doom  of  the  finally  impenitent. 
The  position  is  that  because  it  is  figurative,  it  is  to 
be  set  aside  entirely,  as  of  no  consequence. 

The  figurative  language  of  the  Scripture  respect- 
ing the  future  of  the  wicked,  and  the  place  of  their 
confinement — "the  lake  of  fire,"  "where  their 
worm  dieth  not  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched," 
and  other  and  similar  imagery,  is  regarded  as 
giving  no  conclusive  evidence  upon  the  doctrine 
of  future  punishment,  merely  because  it  is  figur- 
ative. 

True,  these  expressions  are  figurative  ;  but  they 
were  solemn  words  from  the  lips  of  the  Savior ; 
and  as  they  were  not  uttered  lightly,  they  are  not 
to  be  treated  lightly.  Yes,  they  are  figurative; 
but  a  figurative  expression  is  meant  to  represent 
something — even  some  real  matter.  When  it  says 
of  God  that  He  "  whets  His  glittering  sword,  and 
His  hand  takes  hold  on  judgment,"  the  language 
is  figurative.  But  it  means  something.  And  it 
means  something  terrible ;  even  it  represents  a 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  335 

wrathful  attitude  towards  His  enemies,  and  an 
awful  purpose  of  destruction. 

So  when  figurative  language  is  used  in  respect  to 
something  future,  it  prefigures  something  ;  and  the 
solemn  question  is —  What  did  the  Savior  mean  to 
prefigure  ?  He  speaks  of  a  "  lake  of  fire, ' '  and  it 
prefigures  something  in  the  future  world.  What 
is  it? 

Elsewhere  He  speaks  of  some  persons  as  being 
' '  cast  into  hell-fire. ' '  Whom  did  He  refer  to,  and 
what  kind  of  a  place  was  it  into  which  they  were  to 
be  cast  ?  Did  He  mean  to  prefigure  heaven — a  place 
of  happiness  ?  This  is  not  the  imagery  of  heaven  ; 
that  is  ' '  pearly  gates, ' '  and  ' '  streets  of  gold. ' ' 
Again  we  press  the  question — What  did  the  Savior 
mean  ?  What  did  He  intend  to  prefigure  ?  Only 
one  answer  is  possible.  He  meant  to  prefigure  a 
place  of  torment,  and  the  men  to  be  cast  into  it 
were  wicked  men.  The  language  that  He  uses 
means  that  or  it  means  nothing.  It  cannot  mean 
nothing.  The  Son  of  God  did  not  trifle  with  His 
hearers,  and  seek  to  frighten  them  with  bugbears 
— things  having  only  a  fanciful  existence.  What  is 
the  necessary  inference  ?  This — Hell  is  a  reality 
on  the  testimony  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  wicked 
men  are  to  find  it  hereafter,  and  to  be  shut  up  in 
it,  as  a  place  "prepared,"  as  He  says,  "for  the 
devil  and  his  angels. ' ' 

And  yet  all  this  goes  for  nothing  with  Universal- 
ism.  There  is  no  such  place  as  Hell.  Hell,  it 
says,  means  only  the  grave.  See  now  how  absurd 


330  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

that  would  make  the  declaration  of  the  Savior  iii 
Luke  xii :  5 — "Fear  Him  which  after  He  hath 
killed  hath  power  to  cast  into  Hell,  yea  I  say  unto 
you, ' '  Fear  the  sexton  ! 

4.  But  the  great  thing  to  be  disposed  of  by  Uni- 
versalism  is  the  endlessness  of  punishment.  And 
now  we  are  to  notice  the  absurd  methods  resorted 
to  in  the  use  of  language,  to  avoid  this.  It  is  said 
in  Matt.  25  to  those  on  the  right  hand  that  they 
should  go  into  ' '  eternal  life. ' '  And  no  doubt  is 
ever  expressed  but  that  the  word  here  translated 
eternal,  means  endless.  No  Universalist,  and  no 
one  else  who  is  trying  to  be  one,  ever  thinks  that 
the  expression  can  mean  any  thing  less  than  endless 
life  and  happiness  in  heaven. 

Then  the  Judge  turns  to  those  on  the  left  hand 
and  says,  ' '  Depart  from  Me  ; ' '  and  the  further 
record  is  that  these  ' '  shall  go  away  into  eternal  pun- 
ishment." Here  is  the  same  word,  used  by  the 
same  person,  and  in  the  same  connection  ;  and  yet 
Universalism,  in  the  one  case,  makes  the  word 
mean  endless,  and  in  the  other  case  something  infi- 
nitely less.  Such  dealing  with  language,  in  any 
other  connection,  would  be  deemed  inexpressibly 
absurd. 

And  what  a  reflection  on  the  Savior  it  is  thus  to 
treat  His  declarations  !  Did  He  not  know  that  to 
use  such  a  vital  word,  in  such  a  vital  connection,  if 
there  were  no  such  thing  as  endless  punishment, 
would  be  dreadfully  misleading  ;  leading  multitudes 
of  His  followers  to  fear  endless  punishment,  when 


PRACTICAL      MATTERS.  337 

there  was  none  to  fear  ?  How  can  such  a  declara- 
tion from  the  Savior  be  accounted  for,  if  temporary 
punishment  only  were  meant,  and  the  doom  of  the 
wicked  is  not  eternal  ?  How  can  the  honesty  of 
the  Savior  be  defended  ? 

5.  We  notice  once  more  how  absurd  Universal- 
ism  makes  the  Scripture  statements  about  the  neces- 
sity of  working  out  salvation  ' '  with/ear  and  trem- 
bling."   (Phil,  ii  :  12.)     Tremble  at  what  ?     We  are 
to  be  saved  any  how.     What  need  of  trembling  about 
it  ?     And  what  manifest  need  there  is  of  "  working 
out  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,"  if  Uuiver- 
salism  be  not  true,  and  there  is  danger  lest  the  sin- 
ful propensities  of  the  heart  overcome  us  at  length, 
and  we  lose  our  souls  ! 

Again,  Heb.  iv  :  i.  "  Let  us,  therefore./rarlest  a 
promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into  that  rest,  any 
of  you  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it. ' '  But  we 
cannot  come  short  of  it.  We  are  to  be  saved — every 
one  of  us.  Every  moral  being  in  God's  universe, 
saint  or  sinner,  Christian  or  devil,  pure  or  impure, 
are  all,  if  Universalism  be  true,  to  be  gathered  at 
last  into  a  pure  and  holy  heaven.  How  then  can 
any  one  ' '  come  short  of  it  ? ' ' 

Again  Heb.  xii  :  15.  "Looking  diligently  lest 
any  man  fail  of  the  grace  of  God."  How  can  any 
man  fail  of  the  grace  of  God  ?  Grace  is  universal, 
and  all  men  are  made  partakers  of  it  ;  and  any  ne- 
cessity for  ' '  looking  diligently  ' '  lest  a  man/az7  of  it, 
is  nonsense,  if  Universalism  be  true. 

6.  Notice  the  different  positions    given  to  the 


338  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

friends  and  enemies  of  God.  Our  Savior  says  in 
Rev.  iii  :  2 1 ,  "To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant 
to  sit  with  Me  in  my  throne"  And  in  Heb.  i :  13 
the  Father  says  to  the  Son,  ' '  Sit  thou  on  My  right 
hand  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool. ' ' 
Here  are  two  different  positions  given  to  the  friends 
and  enemies  of  God — the  throne  and  the  footstool 
— the  one  a  place  of  exaltation  and  honor,  the  other 
a  place  of  degradation,  where  they  are  to  be  trampled 
under  foot  as  loathsome. 

How  long  are  they  to  be  trampled  on  ?  Is  being 
trampled  under  foot  a  part  of  the  process  of  restora- 
tion ?  Will  that  tend  to  prepare  them  by  and  by  for 
heaven  ?  This  does  not  sound  like  a  reformatory 
measure.  To  degrade  a  subject  of  government  to  a 
position  of  humiliation  and  disgrace  has  no  apparent 
tendency  to  prepare  him  for  an  exalted  position,  or 
tend  in  any  way  to  restore  him  to  the  confidence  of 
the  Ruler. 

What  then  is  the  object  of  putting  His  enemies 
under His  feet ?  If  Universalism  be  true,  it  should 
rather  read — Sit  thou  on  My  right  hand,  while  I 
get  thine  enemies  out  from  under  thy  feet.  But  it 
does  not  read  thus,  and  no  reason  appears  why  hav- 
ing earned  the  position  of  enemies  by  rebellion, 
they  will  not  keep  it ;  and  the  only  common-sense 
view  is,  that  the  statement  implies  an  eternal  sub- 
jugation, "  He  that  is  filthy  let  him  be  filthy  still." 

7 .  But  Universalism  gets  all  men  into  heaven  some- 
how. The  old  type  of  Universalism  which  put  the 
thieves  and  murderers  and  harlots  into  heaven  at 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  339 

once,  and  made  them  go  straight  into  the  company 
of  the  pure  and  the  holy,  has  been  almost  universally 
abandoned.  And  the  assumption  now  is  that  the 
wicked  from  this  world,  who  die  in  impenitence, 
must  go  through  some  process  of  purification  and 
discipline  in  order  to  fit  them  for  the  companionship 
of  the  blessed.  And  the  Hell  of  the  Bible  they  hold 
is  just  this  place  of  discipline,  where  the  purifying 
fires  will  cleanse  all  moral  impurity,  and  then  they 
shall  all  be  fitted  to  take  up  ' '  the  song  of  Moses 
and  the  Lamb. ' ' 

1 i )  Fires  purify  metals;  but  how  can  the  burning 
memories  of  a  sinful  life,  the  consciousness  of  moral 
degradation,  the  companionship  of  the  devil  and  his 
angels,  purify  a  moral  and  spiritual  soul  ? 

(2)  No  reason  appears  for  them  to  take  up  the 
"song  of  the  L,amb  " — the  song  of  Redemption. 
They  have  not  been  saved  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 
They  have  been  saved  by  punishment  and  discipline 
— by  the  fires  of  perdition — in  short,  by  Hell-fire  ; 
and  there  is  nothing  for   them   to  praise  but   the 
benefits   and  blessings  of  perdition.     Christ,   as   a 
Savior,  has  had  nothing  to  do  with  them. 

(3)  They  disliked  holiness  on  earth.     Why  not 
now  ?     They  hated  the  Sabbath  and  the  sandluary 
on  earth,  and  prayer  and  praise  were  loathsome. 
How  can  they  endure  an  endless  Sabbath  ?     Notice 
again — 

(4)  Universalism  makes  two  ways  to  Heaven — one 
for  the  righteous,  the  other  for  the  wicked.     One  is 
" strait  and  narrow, "  the  other  "broad."     One  is 


340  THE    ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

straight,  leading  directly  to  Heaven.  The  other 
winding  and  crooked,  leading  round  through  the 
place  of  discipline — through  Hell.  Our  Savior  makes 
the  broad  way  ' '  lead  to  destruction  ;  ' '  but  Univer- 
salism  has  changed  the  destination,  and  makes  it  in 
some  way,  to  come  round  into  Heaven. 

In  this  view  it  is  interesting  to  compare  the 
course  of  Paul  and  Judas.  Paul  went  straight  to 
Heaven.  ' '  Having  a  desire  to  depart  and  be  with 
Christ."  "  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered;  "  no  fur- 
ther discipline  needed.  But  the  path  of  Judas  to 
Heaven  must  have  been — First  through  the  halter, 
then  through  "his  own  place" — call  it  if  you 
please,  a  place  of  discipline;  but  the  remorse  that 
drove  him  headlong  to  suicide,  must  have  followed 
him  beyond  this  world,  and  have  created  within 
him  all  the  ingredients  of  perdition — nothing  less 
than  what  the  Bible  calls  Hell-fire.  But  finally  he 
comes,  or  will  come,  out  of  ' '  his  own  place  ' '  and 
bow  in  humble  adoration  and  affection  before  that 
very  Jesus  whom  he  betrayed,  and  as  a  final  expe- 
rience, is  to  have  accumulated  upon  him  "a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. ' '  And 
this  glory  and  this  blessedness  in  Heaven  are  to  be 
his  forevermore.  On  the  whole  what  a  glorious 
experience  for  the  perfidious  Judas!  Is  not  such 
an  endless  glory  and  immortality  worth  being  born 
for  as  an  inheritance,  no  matter  what  temporary 
evils  may  have  lain  in  the  way  of  reaching  it  ?  But, 
for  some  reason,  our  Savior  thought  it  would  have 
been  "  good  for  him  not  to  have  been  born." 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  341 

But  suppose,  according  to  Universalism,  that 
there  are  two  ways  to  Heaven,  there  is  a  straight 
way  ;  and  why  should  a  man  be  willing  to  go  round 
through  Hell  in  order  to  reach  it  ? 

8.  A  single  remark  further  as  to  the.  practical  ten- 
dency of  the  doctrine.  Its  tendency  is  to  lull  wicked 
men  into  a  fancied  security,  and  lead  them  to  live 
on  carelessly  in  their  lives  of  worldliness  and  sin, 
and  make  no  effort  to  ' '  flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come."  For  in  the  Universalist  plan  there  is  no 
such  endless  wrath  to  be  dreaded,  no  ' '  undying 
worm,"  no  fire  that  "  never  shall  be  quenched,"  no 
"place  of  torment,"  with  an  impassable  gulf  be- 
tween it  and  Heaven,  notwithstanding  the  Savior's 
parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus;  and  its  ofnce- 
work  is  to  cry  to  the  sinful  world,  peace,  peace; 
when  ' '  there  is  no  peace  saith  the  Lord  unto  the 
wicked"  (Is.  xlviii :  22);  and  all  the  while  "the 
great  day  of  his  wrath  is  coming  on,  and  who  shall 
be  able  to  stand  ?  ' ' 

It  is  well  for  the  members  of  our  Evangelical 
Churches  who  are  contemplating  embracing  the 
Universalist  belief,  to  understand  clearly  what  they 
are  doing — 

They  are  trying  to  embrace  a  doctrine  which  sub- 
verts the  very  foundations  of  God's  moral  govern- 
ment over  the  universe  ;  which  robs  his  fearful  de- 
nunciations against  sin  and  sinners  of  all  intelligible 
meaning ;  which  is  burdened  with  absurdities  and 
inconsistencies  from  beginning  to  end;  and  let  them 
be  assured  that  no  man  can  be  a  Universalist  without 


342  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

practically  rejecting  the  Bible -as  an  authoritative 
revelation,  and  convicting  the  Savior  himself  of  the 
most  egregious  trifling  with  His  Church  and  the 
world. 

II.       FAITH   IN   GOD'S  WORD. 

The  convincing  and  persuading  power  of  God's 
truth  is  what  makes  a  man  a  Christian  at  the  outset. 
For  ' '  Of  His  own  will  begat  He  us  with  the  Word 
of  Truth. "  "  Born  again  by  the  Word  of  God. ' ' 
And  our  progress  afterwards  in  the  Christian  life — 
our  growth  in  grace,  depends  on  our  ' '  receiving 
with  meekness  the  engrafted  Word,"  and  "as  new- 
born babes  desiring  the  sincere  milk  of  the  Word 
that  we  may  grow  thereby"  (Jam.  i :  15,  21,  and 
i  Pet.  ii :  2) ;  so  that  faith  in  God's  Word  determines 
our  Christian  character  from  its  commencement  to 
its  full  and  ripened  experience.  ' '  Without  faith  it 
is  impossible  to  please  Him ; ' '  and  God  is  never 
better  pleased  with  us  than  when,  sitting  like  little 
children  at  the  feet  of  Revelation,  we  say,  with  the 
reverent  Psalmist — "  I  will  hear  what  God  the  Lord 
will  speak ;  ' '  and  when  the  declarations  of  the 
Divine  Word  are  understood,  accepting  them  with- 
out question.  It  is  only  those  who  ' '  receive  the 
Kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  that  can  enter 
therein."  (Mark  x  :  15.) 

Here  comes  up  the  serious  question — Must  I  be- 
lieve the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment  ?  Not,  I 
answer,  unless  there  is  good  and  sufficient  reason 
for  it.  What  is  the  reason  for  thus  believing? 
This —  The  Word  of  God  teaches  it ;  and  we  should 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  343 

have  faith  in  God's  Word.  We  should  adopt  the 
principle  stated  in  the  Preface — "  All  that  the  Bible 
clearly  teaches  is  essential.  All  that  the  Bible  does 
not  clearly  teach,  has  no  place  in  Christian  faith." 

See  what  estimate  the  I^ord  Jesus  Christ  put  upon 
the  Scriptures.  He  said  to  his  disciples,  ' '  O  fools 
and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the  prophets 
have  spoken."  (Luke  xxiv  :  25.)  Peter  calls  it 
' '  A  more  sure  word  of  prophecy  whereunto  ye  do 
well  that  ye  take  heed  ;  "  "  for, ' '  he  says,  ' '  the 
prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man, 
but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by 
the  Holy  Ghost."  (2  Pet.  i :  19,  21.)  lyct  it  be 
distinctly  understood,  therefore,  that  in  the  declara- 
tions of  the  Scriptures,  God  is  speaking.  They  are 
the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  if  we  question 
His  word,  what  can  we  believe  ? 

We  should  remember,  too,  what  John  says,  "  Ye 
are  of  God,  little  children."  (i  John  iv  :  4.)  What 
a  statement!  we  are  of  God ;  and  how  eagerly,  ten- 
derly and  lovingly  should  we  read  the  message  of 
our  Heavenly  Father!  Suppose  we  read  it  in  a 
carping,  critical,  and  fault-finding  way — trying  not 
to  believe  it  instead  of  to  believe  it;  will  the  dear 
Father  be  pleased  with  such  treatment  of  His 
Word? 

"But,"  you  say,  "I  am  not  going  to  believe 
without  first  trying  and  testing  what  I  am  called 
upon  to  believe."  This  very  thing  is  what  the 
Bible  itself  calls  upon  you  to  do.  In  i  John  iv :  i 
the  Apostle  says,  ' '  Believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try 


344  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God, ' '  This  is  right. 
This  is  fair.  The  question  whether  the  Bible  ' '  is 
of  God, "  is  a  matter  to  be  examined  and  studied 
with  the  utmost  care.  For  as  John  says,  "  Many 
false  prophets  have  gone  out  into  the  world." 
Therefore  the  question,  Is  the  Bible  a  revelation 
from  God?  is  vital  and  fundamental;  and  we  ought 
to  press  the  inquiry  to  the  limit  of  entire  satisfac- 
tion. But,  having  settled  the  point  that  the  Bible 
is  a  revelation  from  God,  we  should  then  be  very 
careful  how  we  treat  it.  The  question  should  then 
be,  and  the  only  question — What  does  it  fairly 
mean  ?  What  does  the  Holy  Ghost  desire  to  teach 
me?  What  do  His  words  fairly  imply?  That  is 
the  way  we  treat  a  letter  from  a  friend.  And  this 
book  is  God's  letter  to  us.  What  does  he  mean  to 
say  in  it,  is  the  only  question.  And  it  is  only  when 
we  come  to  the  Bible  in  this  way,  that  we  shall  be 
able  to  say  with  the  prophet  in  Jer.  xv  :  16,  "Thy 
words  were  found  and  I  did  eat  them;  and  Thy  word 
was  unto  me  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of  my  heart." 

Now  God  says  in  His  Word,  "The  wicked  shall 
be  turned  into  Hell  and  all  the  nations  that  forget 
God."  (Ps.  ixriy.)  This  is  the  language  of 
David,  whom  our  Savior  quotes  as  "  a  prophet  " — 
an  inspired  man.  What  does  this  statement  imply  ? 
What  must  it  mean  ? 

Again,  "  Who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  devour- 
ing fire  ?  who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  everlast- 
ing burnings?  "  (Is.  xxxiii :  14.)  This  is  a  dread- 
fully serious  question;  and  it  is  God  who  asks  it. 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  345 

What  can  He  mean  by  such  a  question  ?  Was  he 
using  language  without  meaning  ? 

Again,  "Many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of 
the  earth  shall  awake;  some  to  everlasting  life,  and 
some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt. ' '  (Dan. 
xii :  2.)  In  this  verse  the  word  translated  everlast- 
ing is  the  same,  in  the  original  Hebrew,  in  both 
places.  Did  not  God  know  that  using  language 
thus,  the  same  word  and  in  the  same  connection, 
would  leave  an  -impression  on  the  mind  of  the  world 
through  all  the  ages,  that  both  meant  endless? 
Does  God  trifle  ?  Does  He  use  language  lightly  ? 
Does  He  knowingly  and  meaningly  leave  a  false 
impression  on  the  mind  of  the  world  ?  If  not,  then 
we  must  believe  that  the  ' '  life ' '  and  the  ' '  con- 
tempt ' '  mentioned  in  this  verse  are  both  endless, 
and,  therefore,  that  the  doom  of  the  wicked  is 
' '  shame  and  everlasting  contempt. ' ' 

Moreover,  the  word  here  translated  ' '  everlasting' ' 
is  the  same  word  used  in  Ps.  xc  :  2,  where  it  refers 
to  the  existence  of  the  Almighty  in  the  past  and  in 
the  future — "  From  everlasting  to  everlasting  Thou 
art  God."  In  the  original  Hebrew  the  words 
translated  everlasting  in  Ps.  xc  :  2,  are  the  same  as 
in  Dan.  xii :  2.  Now  when  the  Holy  Ghost,  speak- 
ing through  the  "holy  men  of  old,"  uses  the  same 
word  in  reference  to  the  eternity  of  the  Divine  exist- 
ence as  is  used  in  describing  the  continuation  of  the 
"shame  and  contempt"  that  should  overtake  the 
wicked  at  last,  it  conveys  the  necessary  inference  to 
the  mind  of  the  world,  that  the  ' '  shame  and  con- 


346  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

tempt"  would  be  parallel  in  their  continuance  with 
the  existence  of  God ;  and  as  his  existence  is  eternal 
and  endless,  so  the  doom  of  the  unregenerate  dead 
would  correspond  in  duration. 

And  here  you  should  remember  that  your  knowl- 
edge of  the  future,  and  your  views  of  unseen  real- 
ities, depend  solely  on  the  testimony  of  the  Divine 
Word.  You  have  never  seen  the  ' '  lake  of  fire, ' ' 
nor  the  ' '  everlasting  contempt, ' '  nor  the  ' '  hell ' ' 
into  which  "the  wicked  .shall  be  turned,  and  the 
nations  that  forget  God;  "  and  no  sinner  has  come 
back  to  tell  us  what  he  found  the  ' '  wrath  of  God ' ' 
to  be;  and  we  are  shut  up  to  this  testimony  of  God 
upon  the  matter;  and,  therefore,  should  be  careful 
how  we  treat  it. 

Again  you  are  disposed  to  rejedl  the  docTrine  in 
question  because  it  is  so  dreadful  and  because  you 
cannot  see  the  reason  for  it.  But  we  cannot  under- 
stand why  a  benevolent  God  should  sweep  the  earth 
with  storms  and  tempests,  and  rack  it  with  earth- 
quakes, and  destroy  the  human  beings  that  He  has 
created,  by  thousands.  And  yet  He  does  it,  and 
we  do  not  question  his  benevolence. 

Suppose  Noah  had  reasoned  as  you  do.  "I  can- 
not believe  that  a  benevolent  God  would  create  a 
world  of  human  beings,  and  then  sweep  them  all  to 
destruction  just  because  they  are  wicked,  and  He 
too  foreknowing  their  wickedness.  It  does  not  stand 
to  reason,  and  I  will  not  believe  it. ' '  Suppose  he 
had  reasoned  thus,  and  refused  to  build  the  ark, 
where  would  he  have  been  in  that  wrathful  deluge  ? 


PRACTICAL      MATTERS.  347 

Suppose  Abraham  had  said — "  A  benevolent  God 
could  not  command  a  father  to  slay  his  own  child  ; 
it  is  contrary  to  reason,  and  I  will  not  obey  ! ' '  But 
he  believed  God  ;  and  in  the  face  of  the  awful 
doubts  and  questionings  which  must  have  swept 
his  soul,  went  steadily  forward  to  the  dreadful  task. 

Or  suppose  a  man  now,  looking  at  the  stupen- 
dous doctrine  of  the  Atonement,  of  which  Abraham's 
offering  of  his  son  was  the  type,  should  say,  "  It  is 
unworthy  of  belief  that  God  should  sacrifice  His 
own  Son  for  the  salvation  of  sinful  men  ; ' '  and  say 
with  John  Quincy  Adams,  in  respect  to  the  dodlrine 
of  the  Atonement,  "  I  disbelieve  it,  and  I  hate  it."* 

But  tho  this  great  man  disbelieved  the  Divine  rec- 
ord respecting  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  scouted 


*  This  sounds  dreadful.  And  it  is  dreadful;  and  lest  the  truth  of  it 
should  be  questioned,  I  will  subjoin  the  entire  account  as  given  in  The 
Congregational  ist  of  June  26,  1876 — 

"John  Quincy  Adams,  under  date  of  April,  1861,  after  hearing  from 
Rev.  Mr.  Smith,  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Washington,  a  Commu- 
nion sermon  on  the  Atonement,  frankly  expresses  himself  as  follows: 

" '  Solemn  nonsense  and  inconceivable  absurdity  !  This  is  the  impres- 
sion I  can  never  remove  from  my  mind  when  I  hear  a  Calvinistic 
preacher  hammering  upon  that  everlasting  anvil  of  the  Atonement. 
Incredulus  odi :  I  disbelieve  and  I  hate.  It  is  always  an  admonition 
to  me  of  the  weakness  of  the  human  intellect.  That  the  execution  of  a 
malefactor — of  one  person,  the  Creator  of  all  worlds,  eighteen  hundred 
years  ago — should  redeem  me,  born  nearly  eighteen  centuries  after  His 
death,  from  eternal  damnation,  is  not  only  too  shocking  for  my  belief, 
but  I  ask  myself  what  there  can  be,  above  the  level  of  the  beasts  that 
perish,  in  the  animated  being  that  can  believe  it?  A  melancholy  mon- 
ument of  mental  aberration  and  impotence  ! '  " 

Such,  in  his  case,  was  the  practical  and  logical  outworking  of  Unitari- 
anism.  What  a  vivid  illustration  of  Paul's  declaration  that  "Christ 
crucified  was  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling-block,  and  to  tJie  Greeks  foolish- 
ness." What  is  this  but  "  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  him  ? "  (2  Pet. 


348  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

the  Bible  plan  of  redemption,  that  is  no  reason  why 
we  should.  For  it  still  remains  true,  as  Peter  said 
to  the  unbelieving  Jews — ' '  Neither  is  there  salva- 
tion in  any  other ;  for  there  is  none  other  name 
under  heaven,  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must 
be  saved. ' '  Nothwithstanding  he  could  feel  noth- 
ing but  contempt  for  the  doctrine  of  Christ  cruci- 
fied, yet  it  is  still  the  corner-stone  of  the  evangeli- 
cal system,  and  the  only  and  unfailing  source  of 
comfort  to  multitudes  of  God's  children,  who  find 
in  it  their  only  stay  in  the  dark  hours  of  conscious 
guilt,  and  in  the  painful  experience  of  bereavement 
and  suffering. 

And  altho  with  him,  as  with  the  Unitarian  body 
generally,  the  doctrine  of  Endless  Punishment  is 
absurd,  yet  for  all  that,  "the  great  day  of  His 
wrath  is  coming  on,  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand  ?  ' ' 
(Rev.  vi  :  17.)  And  when  that  day  comes,  this 
same  despised  Jesus  will  be  the  only  hope  of  salva- 
tion ;  and  if  saved  at  all  ' '  we  shall  be  saved  from 
that  wrath  through  Him."  (Rom.  VIQ.)  And 
suppose  we  do  disbelieve  this  dreadful  dodlrine,  will 
that  help  the  matter  when  ' '  The  Lord  Jesus  shall 
be  revealed  from  heaven  with  His  mighty  angels, 
in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know 
not  God,  and  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  ?  ' '  And  if  we  do  disbelieve  it  where  shall  we 
be  when  all  such  ' '  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting 
destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and  the 
glory  of  His  power  ;  when  He  shall  come  to  be 
glorified  in  His  saints,  and  admired  in  all  them  that 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  349 

believe?"  (2  Thes.  i:  7-10.)  "If  the  righteous 
scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the 
sinner  appear?"  (i  Pet.  iv  :  18.) 

Let  us  now  notice  more  particularly  some  of  the 
plain  declarations  of  the  Savior  Himself  respecting 
this  matter  of  Endless  Punishment.  He  says  in 
Matt,  xviii :  8,  9,  If  thy  hand  or  thy  foot  cause  thee 
to  sin,  "cut  them  off;"  because  this  would  be 
better  than  "  to  be  cast  into  everlasting  fire. ' '  And 
if  thine  eye  cause  thee  to  sin,  ' '  pluck  it  out ; ' '  for 
that  would  be  better  than  "  to  be  cast  into  Hell-fire. ' ' 
Now  why  did  He  use  that  word  everlasting  (aioniori), 
the  strongest  word  in  the  Greek  language  to  denote 
endlessness  ?  Did  He  not  know  that  it  would  mis- 
lead, if  the  fire  were  not  endless,  or  if  the  conse- 
quences of  the  sin  were  merely  temporary  ?  Why 
did  He  use  that  particular  word  in  such  a  fearful 
connection  ?  Why  use  it  when  He  knew  it  would 
teach  His  Church  and  the  world,  through  the  ages, 
an  infinite  falsehood,  if  the  consequences  of  sin 
were  not  endless  ? 

Notice  further  that  in  Mark  ix  143-46,  He  adds  in 
this  same  connection,  "  into  the  fire  that  never  shall 
be  quenched. ' '  Why  did  He  say  "  never  ? ' '  Why 
use  that  particular  word  in  such  a  vital  connection  ? 
Did  He  not  know  what  the  possible  and  even  prob- 
able inference  would  be  in  the  minds  of  His  hearers, 
viz. ,  that  they  would  fear,  and  that  men  in  all  the  after 
ages  would  fear,  that  He  meant  endless  ?  And  if  the 
word  did  not  mean  endless,  that  they  would  not  only 
be  unnecessarily  frightened,  but  be  utterly  and  en- 


350  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

tirely  deceived  ?  We  are  not  to  treat  the  words  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  as  we  might  those  of  an  ordinary 
man.  A  man  might  say  things  loosely  and  care- 
lessly, •  but  Jesus  Christ  said  nothing  loosely  and 
carelessly  and  unmeaningly.  And  so  the  fearful 
question  returns —  What  did  He  mean  ? 

He  meant  that  the  punishment  of  sin  would  be  end- 
less, or  else  the  words  have  no  meaning,  and  the 
Son  of  God  is  convicted  of  meaningless  trifling  re- 
specting the  tremendous  realities  of  the  future 
world.  Have  faith  in  God's  Word ;  for  be  sure 
' '  the  great  day  of  His  wrath  is  coming  on,  and  who 
shall  be  able  to  stand  ?  ' ' 

Another  thing — The  moment  you  begin  to  ques- 
tion the  plain  statements  of  the  Bible  upon  the 
Divine  threatenings  that  moment  you  shake  your 
confidence  in  the  Divine  promises.  God's  threaten- 
ings are  as  truly  His  Word  as  are  His  promises. 
An  eternal  Heaven  is  no  more  clearly  taught  in  the 
Bible,  than  an  eternal  Hell ;  and  if  confidence  in 
the  one  be  shaken,  then  why  should  not  also  confi- 
dence in  the  other  be  shaken  ? 

Furthermore,  when  the  sorrowing  days  come — 
the  days  of  disappointed  hope,  and  plans  overturned, 
and  expectations  crushed  ;  when  the  choicest  affec- 
tions of  earth  have  gone  down  into  the  grave,  and 
the  loved  ones  have  gone  from  us  never  to  return, 
then  the  consciousness  of  having  rejected  any  part 
of  God's  Word,  will  greatly  rob  that  word  of  its 
preciousness,  and  prevent  it  being  the  full  stay  and 
support  of  the  sinking  heart.  Only  those  who  ac- 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  351 

cept  the  entire  Word  of  God  as  little  children,  can 
then  feel  the  full  comfort  of  that  promise,  ' '  The 
eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  and  underneath  thee  are 
the  everlasting  arms." 

On  the  whole  it  may  truly  be  said  that  the  begin- 
ning of  all  true  Christian  character,  and  a  satisfac- 
tory progress  in  its  development,  and  a  joyful  wind- 
ing up  of  it  in  the  dying  hour,  depend  wholly  on 
an  unwavering  faith  in  the  Word  of  God. 

III.       MATTER   OF   PREACHING. 

What  is  the  object  of  preaching?  Answer:  To 
lead  men  to  give  up  sinning.  They  love  sin.  They 
cling  to  it.  They  will  not  abandon  it.  They  love 
their  own  way,  and  are  determined  to  have  it. 
How  shall  they  be  deterred  from  following  it,  is 
the  question. 

The  only  way  in  which  this  can  be  done  is  by 
giving  them  a  correct  idea  of  their  position  as  the 
enemies  of  God.  As  such  they  are  arrayed  against 
God,  and  must  be  made  to  see  it.  They  are  break- 
ing the  great  L,aw  of  God,  and  daring  its  tremend- 
ous sanctions,  and  should  be  told  of  it  in  so  many 
words.  The  wrath  of  God  is  burning  against  them, 
and  they  should  be  made  to  fear  it.  His  judgments 
are  abroad  in  the  earth  against  evil-doing  and  evil- 
doers, and  they  should  be  made  to  fear  lest  judg- 
ments in  a  more  aggravated  form  will  meet  them  in 
the  future  world.  They  should  be  pressed  with  the 
stupendous  fact  that  death,  judgment  and  eternity 
are  coming  on,  and  will  soon  overtake  them,  and  that 


352  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

there  is  no  escaping  the  endless  consequences  of  sin 
in  the  future  world  but  by  timely  repentance  in  this. 

So  preached  the  men  of  ancient  times  who  penned 
the  Bible,  and  wrote  it  under  the  Divine  direction. 
Notice  again  a  few  of  their  declarations — 

' '  The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell,  and  all 
the  nations  that  forget  God."  (Ps.  ix  :  17.) 

' '  Upon  the  wicked  He  shall  reign  snares;  fire  and 
brimstone  and  an  horrible  tempest;  this  shall  be  the 
portion  of  their  cup."  (Ps.  xi :  6.) 

"The  sinners  in  Zion  are  afraid;  fearfulness  hath 
surprised  the  hypocrites;  who  among  us  shall  dwell 
with  devouring  fire  ?  who  among  us  shall  dwell  with 
everlasting  burnings  ?  "  (Is.  xxxiii :  14.) 

' '  Thou  art  not  a  God  that  hath  pleasure  in  wick- 
edness, neither  shall  evil  dwell  with  Thee ;  the 
foolishshall  not  stand  in  Thy  sight;  Thou  hatest  all 
workers  of  iniquity."  (Ps.  v  :  4,  5.)  And  modern 
preachers  can  do  no  better  than  to  adopt  the  same 
decisive  language  in  portraying  the  character  of  God. 

Shall  the  minister  attempt  to  draw  men  to  obedi- 
ence merely  by  the  presentation  of  God's  love? 
Then  why  did  not  the  Savior  ?  Why  did  not  John 
in  the  wilderness  who  heralded  His  coming  ?  If  the 
dispensation  which  He  was  ushering  in  was  to  be 
merely  one  of  love,  why  did  He  not  so  proclaim  it  at 
the  outset  ?  Instead  of  this  He  says,  ' '  Whose  fan 
is  in  His  hand,  and  He  will  throughly  purge  his 
floor,  and  gather  His  wheat  into  the  garner;  but  He 
will  burn  up  the  chaff  with  unquenchable  fire." 
(Matt,  iii :  12.) 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  353 

Moreover  if  love  is  to  be  the  only  motive,  why  did 
the  Savior  Himself  set  forth  the  punishment  of  the 
ungodly  in  such  awful  representations  ?  Why  ex- 
haust the  capacities  of  language  and  imagery  in 
picturing  its  dreadfulness — "the  lake  of  fire,"  the 
' '  gnawing  of  their  tongues  for  pain, ' '  the  ' '  gnash- 
ing of  teeth,"  the  cry  for  one  drop  of  water  to 
assuage  torment,  and  even  this  denied?  Shall  a 
weak  and  shortsighted  man  undertake  to  improve 
on  the  preaching  of  the  Son  of  God  ? 

What  is  God  Himself  now  doing  to  lead  sinful 
men  to  abandon  their  lives  of  ungodliness  ?  Is  He 
merely  drawing  them  by  the  cords  of  love ;  merely 
proclaiming  His  goodness  and  mercy  and  loving 
kindness;  merely  trying  to  soften  their  hard  hearts 
by  the  presentation  of  His  infinite  love  in  Redemp- 
tion ?  Then  why  the  earthquake  that  buries  whole 
cities;  why  the  march  of  the  pestilence;  why  the 
tornado  with  its  utter  and  awful  visitation  ?  What 
means  the  Almighty  by  these  and  similar  dealings 
with  men  ?  What  side  of  His  character  is  He  por- 
traying ?  What  impressions  is  He  trying  to  leave 
on  the  minds  of  men  respecting  Himself?  What 
motives  is  He  appealing  to  ?  If  not  to  the  motive  of 
fear,  then  what  motive  is  it  ?  And  if  He  is  stirring 
men  to  fear  Him,  why  should  not  His  ministering 
servant  do  the  same  ? 

Most  certainly  the  motive  of  God's  final  judg- 
ment upon  the  ungodly  can  never  be  left  out  of 
preaching  without  doing  an  irreparable  injury  to 
the  cause  of  truth,  and  endangering  the  salvation 


354  THE  ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

of  sinful  men.  If  men  could  as  well  be  saved  with- 
out presenting  the  terrors  of  perdition  :  if  they 
could  be  drawn  to  repentance  by  the  presentation  of 
Christ's  tenderness  and  love  merely,  then  Christ 
Himself  would  have  adopted  that  method  of  preach- 
ing, for  His  pitiful  nature  certainly  shrunk  as  much 
from  unnecessarily  wounding  human  sensibilities  as 
any  one  of  ours  does.  But  He  evidently  deemed  the 
opposite  method  essential,  and  everywhere  in  His 
preaching  makes  the  appeal  to  fear  fully  as  promi- 
nent as  the  appeal  to  affeElion;  and  His  ministering 
servant  can  do  no  better  than  to  copy  His  example. 

When,  therefore,  he  who  insists  on  presenting  the 
love  of  God  in  Christ  as  the  great  motive  to  obedi- 
ence, insists  also  in  leaving  out  of  his  preaching  the 
terrors  of  God's  wrath,  let  him  understand  that  he 
does  not  know  enough  respecting  the  necessities  and 
exigencies  of  the  endless  universe  that  sin  has  in- 
vaded, thus  to  tamper  in  his  pulpit  ministrations 
with  the  Word  of  God,  and  keep  back  a  part,  and 
soften  down  its  threatenings,  and  assume  practically 
that  he  knows  better  than  the  Almighty  what  kind 
of  preaching  to  give  men.  What  right  has  he  to 
undertake  to  improve  on  the  preaching  of  the 
Savior?  A  due  loyalty  to  his  solemn  commission 
demands  that  he  ' '  declare  to  men  the  whole  counsel 
of  God."  (Acts  xx  :  27.) 

If,  therefore,  he  is  to  preach  with  clearness  and 
impressiveness  the  great  truth  that  ' '  he  that  believ- 
eth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life,"  so  is  he  to 
preach  with  equal  clearness  and  earnestness  that 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  355 

' '  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life, 
but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  Mm.' '  (John  iii:36. ) 
As  a  test  question,  let  every  preacher  of  the  Word 
ask  himself  this:  Would  the  views  I  entertain  of  the 
Atonement  and  of  the  future  of  the  wicked  lead  me 
to  say,  with  Paul,  "  I  ceased  not  to  warn  every  one 
night  and  day  with  tears  ?  ' '  (Acts  xx  :  3 1 . )  Or 
does  the .  earnestness  of  my  preaching  correspond 
with  the  direction  of  the  Apostle — ' '  Others  save 
with  fear,  pulling  them  out  of  the  fire  ?  ' '  (Jude  23. ) 

IV.    MINISTERIAL,  RESPONSIBILITY. 

Verily,  this  is  no  time  for  the  ministry  to  be 
faint-hearted  ;  but  rather  a  time  for  utter  fearless- 
ness in  proclaiming  the  whole  truth  of  God  respect- 
ing wicked  men.  A  fact  has  already  been  stated, 
that  a  deacon  in  a  prominent  Congregational  Church 
in  one  of  our  large  western  cities,  made  this  remark 
in  the  hearing  of  the  writer,  that  ' '  the  doctrine  of 
endless  punishment  was  intrinsically  absurd." 
Some  eminent  preachers  have  been  giving  the 
strongest  utterances  for  years  in  the  same  direction. 
President  Northup,  in  a  sermon  read  before  the 
Congregational  Club  in  Minneapolis,  the  title  of 
which  was,  '  'A  Silent  Revolution, ' '  sums  up  what  he 
regards  as  the  present  attitude  of  the  churches  in 
relation  to  the  doctrine  of  Endless  Punishment,  in 
these  words — "From  all  this  it  appears  that  the 
church  has  made  a  general  movement  in  the  direc- 
tion of  modified  Universalism."  Also  this — "  And 
so — there  is  a  general  consent  that  certain  doctrines, 


356  THE    ORIGIN   OP   SIN. 

once  held  to  be  true,  and  of  vital  importance,  are 
to  be  regarded  as  so  no  longer." 

A  very  prominent  and  influential  Congregational 
pastor  closes  one  of  his  recently  published  volumes 
with  this  sentence — "  the  one  far-off  event  to  which 
the  whole  creation  moves,  in  which  every  man  and 
all  men,  shall  have  reached  the  stature  of  the 
fulness  of  Christ."  Of  course  this  includes  Judas. 
This  is  Universalism  out  and  out.  And  yet  it 
passes  without  censure,  and  the  man  holds  his  place 
among  the  evangelical  churches,  even  as  if  his 
teachings  were  in  accordance  with  the  Word  of  God. 

The  fa<5l  is  that  the  great  underlying  principles 
of  God's  moral  administration  as  developed  in  the 
Bible,  are  being  lost  sight  of  by  multitudes  of  pro- 
fessedly Christian  men  and  ministers.  Starting 
with  their  own  preconceived  opinions  or  philoso- 
phical speculations  of  what  is  just  and  right,  and 
proper  and  necessary  in  the  moral  government  of 
God,  they  compel  the  Bible  to  fall  in  with  them, 
instead  of  starting  with  the  Bible,  and  making  their 
belief  conform  to  its  plain  teachings.  In  this  way 
the  declarations  of  God's  Word  are  made  to  suit 
their  own  wishes  or  prejudices,  even  tho  to  do  this 
requires  it  to  be  toned  down,  softened,  distorted 
and  even  explained  away,  and  made  no  longer  a 
plain  book  for  the  guidance  of  plain,  uneducated 
men.  Especially  the  threatenings  of  Future  and 
Endless  Punishment  are  set  aside  as  being  only  the 
teachings  of  superstition  and  delusion  ;  and  all  the 
while  ' '  the  great  day  of  His  wrath  is  coming  on, 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  357 

and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand?  "  (Rev.  vi  :  17.) 
The  only  preaching  that  corresponds  with  the 
preaching  of  the  Savior,  is  that  which  makes  men 
'  'fear  Him  who  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body 
in  Hell." 

Now,  therefore,  the  trumpet  of  the  L,aw  and  the 
Gospel — forgiveness  for  the  penitent,  and  endless 
perdition  for  the  finally  sinful,  should  be  heard  in 
clear  and  earnest  tones  whether  men  will  receive  it 
or  not.  The  evangelical  pulpit  should  give  no  un- 
certain sound  upon  these  fundamental  matters  of 
God's  law  and  government — penalty  and  pardon, 
salvation  and  damnation.  They  concern  eternal  in- 
terests. They  have  to  do  with  men  going  to  the 
grave  and  the  judgment,  to  Heaven  or  to  Hell. 
They  have  to  do  with  the  character  of  God,  with 
the  sanctity  of  His  law,  with  the  honor  of  the 
Savior,  and  with  all  the  vital  interests  of  His  eternal 
kingdom. 

And  these  things  should  be  set  in  order  before 
men,  and  they  should  be  made  to  see  the  folly,  in- 
consistency and  peril  of  subverting  any  one  of  the 
great  principles  of  God's  administration — that  to 
disturb  a  single  pillar  of  it,  is  to  shake  the  entire 
edifice,  to  destroy  its  harmony  and  consistency,  and 
to  render  it  impossible  for  it  to  be  any  longer  the 
perfect  work  of  God.  They  should  be  made  to  see 
the  massive  pillars  of  it — Law  and  Penalty,  Reward 
and  Pardon,  all  towering  together  in  majestic  pro- 
portions of  greatness,  grandeur,  and  harmony. 

But  the  minister  should  also  be  moved  with  pity 


358  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

for  the  perishing,  so  as  to  be  able  to  speak  to  dying 
men  with  tenderness  and  compassion,  as  well  as 
faithfulness,  even  as  did  the  Savior.  If  men  are 
going  to  perdition  they  should  be  told  of  it  in  so 
many  words,  yet  in  kindness  as  well  as  plainness. 
If  the  anger  of  God  is  burning  against  them  for 
their  sins — if  "  judgment  is  only  now  lingering  and 
damnation  slumbering,"  they  should  be  roused 
from  their  stupidity  and  insensibility  by  appeals 
which  they  cannot  misunderstand,  yet  at  the  same 
time  spoken  with  solemnity  and  affection.  That 
was  a  terrible  declaration  of  God  to  the  prophet 
Ezekiel,  and  was  meant  for  every  one  of  His  watch- 
men— "When  I  say  unto  the  wicked,  O  wicked 
man,  thou  shalt  surely  die  ;  if  thou  dost  not  speak 
to  warn  the  wicked  from  his  way,  that  wicked  man 
shall  die  in  his  iniquity  ;  but  his  blood  will  I  require 
at  thine  hand."  (Ezekiel  xxxiii  :  8.)  - 

V.    QUOTATION   FROM    RICHARD    BAXTER. 

And  now  to  the  poor,  thoughtless  ones  who  are 
going  into  eternity  with  no  proper  preparation 
wherewith  to  meet  it,  comes  the  solemn  address  and 
warning  of  RICHARD  BAXTER: 

' '  Men  and  Brethren  :  The  Eternal  God  that  made 
you  for  a  life  everlasting,  and  hath  redeemed  you  by 
His  only  Son,  when  you  had  lost  it  and  yourselves, 
being  mindful  of  you  in  your  sin  and  misery,  hath 
indited  the  Gospel,  and  sealed  it  by  His  Spirit,  and 
commanded  His  ministers  to  preach  it  to  the  world, 
that  pardon  being  freely  offered  you,  and  Heaven 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  359 

being  set  before  you,  He  might  call  you  off  from 
your  fleshly  pleasures,  and  from  following  after  this 
deceitful  world,  and  acquaint  you  with  the  life  you 
were  created  and  redeemed  for,  before  you  are  dead 
and  past  remedy. 

' '  The  I^ord  seeth  how  you  forget  Him  and  your 
latter  end,  and  how  light  you  make  of  everlasting 
things,  as  men  that  understand  not  what  they  have 
to  do  or  suffer.  He  seeth  how  bold  you  are  in  sin, 
and  how  fearless  of  His  threatenings,  and  how  care- 
less of  your  souls.  He  seeth  the  dreadful  day  at 
hand,  when  your  sorrows  will  begin,  and  you  must 
lament  all  this  with  fruitless  cries  in  torment  and 
desperation,  if  true  conversion  now  prevent  it  not. 

"  O  sinners,  that  you  but  knew  what  you  are 
doing,  and  whom  you  are  all  this  while  offending! 
The  sun  itself  is  darkness  before  the  glory  of  that 
Majesty  which  you  daily  abuse  and  carelessly  pro- 
voke. O  that  you  did  but  a  little  know  what  case 
that  wretched  soul  is  in  that  hath  engaged  the  living 
God  against  him!  If  God  be  against  thee,  all  things 
are  against  thee.  This  world  is  but  thy  prison,  for 
all  thou  so  lovest  it,  and  thou  art  but  reserved  in  it 
to  the  day  of  wrath.  The  Judge  is  coming ;  thy 
soul  is  even  now  going.  Yet  a  little  while,  and  thy 
friend  shall  say  of  thee,  '  He  is  dead; '  and  then  thou 
shalt  see  the  things  that  now  thou  dost  despise,  and 
feel  that  which  now  thou  wilt  not  believe.  O  poor 
soul  !  there  is  nothing  but  a  slender  veil  of  flesh 
between  thee  and  that  amazing  sight,  which  will 
quickly  silence  thee,  and  turn  thy  tone,  and  make 


360  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

thee  of  another  mind.  As  soon  as  death  hath  drawn 
this  curtain,  thou  shalt  see  that  which  will  quickly 
leave  thee  speechless.  And  how  quickly  will  that 
day  and  that  hour  come!  When  thou  hast  had  a 
few  more  merry  hours,  and  but  a  few  more  pleasant 
draughts,  and  a  little  more  of  the  honors  and  riches 
and  pleasures  of  the  world,  thy  portion  will  be 
spent;  and  then  of  all  thou  soldest  thy  Savior  and 
salvation  for,  nothing  will  be  left  but  the  heavy 
reckoning. 

' '  Once  more,  in  the  name  of  the  God  of  Heaven,  I 
shall  do  the  message  to  you  which  He  hath  com- 
manded us,  and  leave  it  in  these  standing  lines  to 
convert  or  condemn  you.  Hearken,  all  you  that 
mind  not  God,  and  have  no  heart  for  holy  things  ! 
Hearken,  all  you  that  by  sinning  in  light  have 
sinned  yourselves  into  infidelity,  and  do  not  believe 
the  Word  of  God !  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him 
hear  the  gracious  yet  dreadful  call  of  God  ! 

' '  Reader,  I  have  done  with  thee  when  thou  hast 
perused  this  book  ;  but  sin  hath  not  yet  done  with 
thee,  and  Satan  hath  not  yet  done  with  thee,  and 
God  hath  not  yet  done  with  thee.  As  ever  thou 
hopest  to  see  the  face  of  Christ,  the  Judge,  and  of 
the  majesty  of  the  Father  with  peace  and  comfort, 
and  to  be  received  into  glory,  when  thou  art  turned 
naked  out  of  the  world,  I  beseech  thee  to  hear  and 
obey  the  call  of  God.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him 
hear  the  call  of  God  in  the  day  of  his  salvation." 

Such,  with  slight  alterations,  is  the  way  in  which 
this  holy  man  of  God  addressed  the  men  of  His 


PRACTICAL     MATTERS.  361 

times.  Nothing  that  I  could  hope  to  write  would 
breathe  such  tenderness  and  solemnity  and  persua- 
sive power  as  this  ;  and  therefore  I  have  choosen 
rather  to  transcribe  it,  that  it  may  speak  in  my 
stead. 

Now,  fellow-sinner,  in  God's  name  I  send  you 
this  book  to  give  you  one  more  warning  of  that 
coming  wrath,  from  which  there  is  but  one  way  of 
escape.  It  shows  you  that  human  probation  is  a 
serious  and  tremendous  matter  ;  that  God  is  greatly 
in  earnest  in  pressing  the  call  to  repentance,  and 
that  the  most  stupendous  sin  possible  or  conceivable 
is  that  of  slighting  the  offers  of  salvation  through 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  that  if  slighted  to  the  last,  there 
will  be  no  way  of  escaping  the  dreadful,  endless 
penalty. 

Hear,  therefore,  the  warning  voice  of  God  : 
"  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  for  why  will  ye  die  ?  "  Hear 
also  the  despairing  cry  of  His  infinite  tenderness 
and  benevolence,  if  you  persevere  in  sin  to  the  last : 
' '  How  shall  I  give  thee  up  ?  My  heart  is  turned 
within  me  ;  my  repentings  are  kindled  together. ' ' 


CHAPTER  XII. 
PI,AN  OP  THE  UNIVERSE. 

Says  Dr.  Edward  Beecher,  "A  complete  system 
of  the  universe  is  a  natural  want  of  the  mind. ' ' 

In  the  progress  of  the  discussion  thus  far,  a  pos- 
sible, if  not  a  probable  Plan  of  the  Universe  has 
been  developed,  which  it  may  be  interesting  to  pre- 
sent at  a  single  view. 

1.  That  the  Moral  System  is  yet  in  its  infancy — 
the  Fallen  Angels,  the  Human  Race,  and  the  Un- 
fallen  Angels  being  the  only  moral  intelligences  as 
yet  created. 

2.  That  the  only  trouble  with  it  is  the  innate  ten- 
dency of  all  free  mind  to  break  away  from   the 
necessary  restraints  of  L,aw  and  Government. 

3.  That  at  the  commencement  of  the  moral  uni- 
verse, there  were  not  such  motives  in  existence  as 
would  deter  moral  beings  from  gratifying  this  incli- 
nation, and  from  daring  the  experiment  of  trans- 
gression,   as  did  Adam   and    the   Fallen   Angels ; 
altho  existing  motives  were  amply  sufficient  to  ren- 
der them  inexcusable  in  so  doing.     In  other  words, 
the  firmness  of  God  in  the  execution  of  penalty,  and 
His  mercy  in  pardon,  had  received  no  such  illus- 
tration as  would  either  win  them  to  obedience  or 
deter  them  from  rebellion  ;  nor,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  moral  creation,  was  such  illustration 

362 


PLAN    OF    THE    UNIVERSE.  363 

possible.  Herein  do  we  find  the  explanation  of 
the  ORIGIN  OF  SIN,  so  far  as  any  explanation  is 
possible. 

4.  That    the  punishment  of    the  rebel  angels, 
manifesting    God's    determination   to  uphold  the 
majesty  of  His  law  and  the  authority  of  His  gov- 
ernment, has  laid  securely  one  of  the  great  founda- 
tion  stones  of  a  successful  moral  administration  ; 
while  the  creation  and  subsequent  redemption  of 
the  human  race,  bringing  out  the  crowning  glory  of 
the  Divine  Character — compassion  for  the  sinful — has 
laid  securely  another  one  of  the  foundation  stones 
of  His  moral  administration  ;  and  that  these  two 
experiments  with  sinning  beings — the  Fallen  Angels 
and  the  Human  Race — furnishing,  in  their  results, 
an    infinite  appeal  to  fear  on  the  one   hand,  and 
affettion  on  the  other,  are  indispensable  to  the  con- 
firmation of  all  newly -created  beings  in  holiness  and 
happiness  in  all  worlds  forever. 

5.  That  the  great  work  of  the  universe,  which 
God  has  now  in  hand,  is  the  development  of  a  kind 
and  amount  of  motive  from  these  dealings  with  the 
sinful  in  a  way  of  judgment  and  mercy,  which  will 
be    sufficient,   at   length,   in  connection  with  the 
workings  of  the  Infinite  Spirit,  to  restrain  the  ten- 
dency in  newly -created  beings  to  break  away  from 
the  law  and  authority  of  God.     Furthermore,  to 
accomplish  this,  not  merely  for  a  single  being,  or  a 
single  world  of  beings,  but  for  all  the  countless 
myriads  who  will  eventually  people  the  great  em- 
pire of  Jehovah. 


364  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

6.  That  the  experiment  with  this  wicked  world 
must  go  on  till  this  amount  of  motive  is  secured  ; 
and  that  the  accomplishment  of  this  object  will  be 
the  signal  for  winding  up  of  human  affairs. 

7.  That  after  the  judgment  of  this  world,  this 
end  will  have  been  reached  ;  and   the  dealings  of 
God  with  rebel    angels  and    impenitent  men,  but 
above  all  His  dealings  with  redeemed  sinners,  will, 
together,  make  such  a  fearful  and  impressive,  as 
well  as  tender  and  melting  display  of  God's  char- 
acter, that  no   newly -created  being  will  think  of 
withstanding  it ;  and  when  he  is  made  fully  to  ap- 
prehend what  God  has  done,  written  out  as  the 
history  of  it  will  be  upon  the  records  of  eternity, 
and  the  redeemed  and  the  damned  being  living  wit- 
nesses to  the  truth  of  it,  all  thought  of  rebellion  will 
will  be  forever  banished  from  his  mind. 

8.  That  then,  after  the  judgment,  God  will  pro- 
ceed with  the  work  of  creating  moral  beings  through 
infinite  duration,  seeing  that  the  certainty  will  then 
be  secured  of  their  remaining  obedient,  and  therefore 
supremely  blessed  ;  and  so  the  universe  will  go  on 
expanding  in  holiness  and  happiness  forever. 

Such  are  the  main  features  of  the  plan  suggested 
upon  which  God  is  building  the  universe  of  mind, 
which,  it  is  believed,  embraces  within  itself  all  the 
main  facts  and  intimations  both  of  reason  and  reve- 
lation. 

Shall  it  be  accepted  as  improbable  plan  of  the 
Universe  ? 

First — There  is  a  great  universal  plan  embracing 


PLAN   OF   THE    UNIVERSE.  365 

in  itself  all  the  facts  of  Reason  and  Revelation. 
Now, 

Secondly — If  any  facts  of  Reason  and  Revelation 
cannot  be  comprehended  in  the  plan  herein  devel- 
oped, then  it  must  be  given  up.  But 

Thirdly — If  all  the  fadls  both  of  Reason  and  Reve- 
lation can  be  comprehended  in  it,  then  is  there  this 
very  strong  and  well-nigh  conclusive  reason  for  its 
acceptance. 

Fourthly — If  any  modification  can  be  suggested 
making  it  harmonize  better  with  existing  facts,  such 
modification  is  to  be  accepted. 

Fifthly — -If  any  plan  can  be  constructed  better, 
comprehending  within  itself  all  the  facts  both  of 
Reason  and  Revelation,  then  such  plan  should  be 
adopted,  as  being  on  that  account  the  more  probable. 

But  until  such  plan  or  modification  is  suggested, 
or  some  new  facts  are  discovered,  let  the  foregoing 
be  accepted  as  the  probable  PLAN  OP  THE  UNIVERSE. 


THB  END. 


APPENDIX  A. 
THE   REDEEMED  CHURCH. 

The  general  subject  of  this  book  is  the  relation  of  Sin  to 
the  universe;  and,  therefore,  the  glory,  exaltation  and 
employments  of  the  redeemed  Church  in  the  future  world, 
would  not  properly  belong  to  the  body  of  the  work.  At 
the  same  time  the  final  exaltation  of  the  redeemed  belongs 
to  the  general  plan  of  the  universe;  and,  therefore,  the 
glory  of  the  redeemed  Church  becomes  the  culmination  of 
this  universal  plan,  and  finds  an  appropriate  place  in  this 
Appendix. 

SEC.  I.      The  Relation  of  the  Church  to  the  Angels  of  Heaven. 

The  influence  of  the  great  plan  of  redemption  in  sav- 
ing the  Unfallen  Angels  from  apostasy  has  already  been 
noticed.  In  considering  now  very  briefly  the  peculiar  rela- 
tions of  the  Church  to  the  angels  of  Heaven,  we  refer  again 
to  the  remarkable  passage — Eph.  iii  :  10 — and  which  is 
especially  applicable  here — "To  the  intent  that  now  unto 
the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be 
made  known  [Rev.  Ver.]  by  the  Church  the  manifold  wisdom 
of  God." 

The  particular  point  to  be  considered  in  this  immediate 
connection  is — That  through  the  Church,  as  a  redeemed 
Church,  God  is  manifesting  His  character  and  attributes 
to  the  angels;  so  that,  while  they  are  ministering  spirits  to 
us,  we  are  the  medium  of  Divine  favor  and  blessing  to 
them.  And  the  most  natural  conjecture  is  that  the  won- 
derful exhibition  of  affection  which  God  has  made  in  our 
redemption  and  salvation,  is  the  one  indispensable  motive 
and  influence  which  has  kept,  and  will  forever  keep,  them 
loyal  to  God. 

SEC.  2.  The  Relations  of  the  Church  to  the  Future  Universe. 
366 


APPENDIX.  367 

Here  another  passage  needs  to  be  noticed  which  has  been 
already  quoted  in  previous  connections — "  That  in  tfo  ages 
to  come  He  might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace  in 
His  kindness  toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus."  (Eph.  ii  : 
7.)  Also  Rom.  ix  :  23 — "And  that  He  might  make  known 
the  riches  of  His  glory  on  the  vessels  of  mercy  "which  He 
had  afore  prepared  unto  glory." 

Notice  here  it  is  the  same  work  of  manifestation  mentioned 
in  the  preceding  section — the  same  process  of  revealing  the 
wonders  and  glories  of  redemption,  and  through  the  same 
instrumentality — the  redeemed  Church.  It  is  His  kindness 
"toward  us"  which  is  the  leading  matter  of  exhibition. 
Not  merely  now  to  the  angels  of  Heaven — the  "  principali- 
ties and  powers  in  heavenly  places,"  but  throughout  the 
long  ages  of  eternity  the  same  wonderful  exhibition  is  to  be 
made  of  what  God  has  done  in  the  work  of  our  redemption. 
And  thus  the  redeemed  Church  is  to  be  held  up  forever  to 
the  universal  gaze,  and  through  it  the  infinite  affection  of 
the  Godhead  for  sinful  men,  is  to  have  an  eternal  exhibi- 
tion and  unfolding.  The  Church  is  thus  to  have  a  kind  of 
mission  to  the  endless  universe  of  being;  and  even  as  that 
same  Church  was  a  "  chosen  generation  and  a  royal  priest- 
hood "  on  earth,  to  "show  forth  the  praises"  of  Jehovah, 
so  will  it  occupy  the  same  eternal  position. 

Assuming  this,  how  significant  becomes  the  expression  in 
Rev.  xiv  :  4,  which  characterizes  the  redeemed  Church  as 
being  "  the  first-fruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamb  " — the  first 
ingathering  of  the  endless  harvest. 

And  so  all  beings  in  all  ages  must  be  ever  gazing  in  rapt 
admiration  at  these  monuments  of  the  Divine  Mercy — these 
rescued  and  sanctified  ones  whom  God  has  chosen,  re- 
deemed and  placed  at  His  right  hand  as  "  priests,"  and 
through  whom  He  is  to  exert  that  peculiar  influence  which 
is  to  bind  the  advancing  universe  in  eternal  loyalty  to  Him- 
self. As  such  they  are,  indeed,  "a  chosen  generation,  a 
royal  priesthood,"  to  show  forth  forever  the  praises  of  the 
Most  High. 


368  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

Moreover,  they  are  "  kings"  as  well  as  priests,  and  their 
kingly  authority  will  be  ever  recognized,  even  as  in  an 
earthly  kingdom,  royal  prerogatives  are  granted  to  the 
ministers  of  the  crown;  and  they  occupy,  in  a  certain  sense, 
the  very  place  of  the  monarch  himself.  So  kingly  power 
is  bestowed  upon  the  redeemed  Church,  and  it  rules  and 
reigns  with  God,  and  will  be  forever  recognized  as  His 
vicegerent  in  the  future  management  of  univeral  affairs; 
very  likely  to  be  commissioned  on  errands  of  love  and 
mercy  forever  to  all  parts  of  God's  dominions — the  pleni- 
potentiaries of  the  great  central  administration.  This  point 
will  be  more  fully  expanded  in  the  following  section:* 

SEC.  3.  Employments  of  the  Redeemed  hereafter, 

The  Bible  represents  the  redeemed  as  standing  at  last 
before  the  great  white  throne,  having  harps  of  gold  in  their 
hands,  and  singing  the  praises  of  their  Redeemer  in  the 
"  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb,"  saying  ever,  "  Worthy  is 
the  Lamb  that  was  slain,"  and  thus  rolling  the  anthem 
of  redeeming  love  through  the  endless  ages.  Now  it  is 
sometimes  objected  to  these  Bible  representations  of  the 
employments  of  Heaven,  that  the  soul  is  so  constituted  as 
to  demand  for  its  highest  happiness  an  unending  career  of 
usefulness,  and  that  the  mere  employment  of  praise  fails 
fully  to  exercise  its  vast  and  varied  powers. 

The  Bible,  however,  by  no  means  limits  the  occupations 


*  DR.  BELLAMY  seems  to  have  had  some  general  view  of  the  system 
similar  to  the  one  we  have  been  unfolding  when  he  says — ' '  How  know 
we  if  God  thinks  it  best  to  have  a  larger  number  of  intelligences  to  be- 
hold His  glory  and  to  be  happy  with  Him,  but  that  He  judges  it  best 
not  to  bring  them  into  existence  till  the  present '  grand  drama '  shall 
be  finished  at  the  day  of  judgment?  That  they  may,  without  sharing 
the  hazard  of  the  present  confused  state  of  things,  reap  the  benefit  of 
the  whole  through  eternal  ages  ;  whilst  angels  and  saints  may  be  ap- 
pointed their  instructors  to  lead  into  the  knowledge  of  all  God's  ways 
to  His  creatures,  and  all  their  ways  to  Him,  from  the  time  of  Satan's 
revolt  in  heaven  to  the  final  consummation  of  all  things.  And  as  the 
Jewish  dispensation  was  introductory  and  preparatory  to  the  Christian, 
so  this  present  universe  may  be  introductory  and  preparatory  to  one 
after  the  day  of  judgment,  almost  infinitely  larger.'1 


APPENDIX.  369 

of  the  redeemed  to  this.  It  does,  indeed,  represent  this  as 
their  employment  in  part,  and  it  must  necessarily  be;  for 
how  could  a  soul  redeemed  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
restrain  its  emotions  of  affection  for  its  God  and  Savior 
from  breaking  out  in  rapturous  expression  ?  Every  con- 
templation of  what  he  was  in  character,  and  what  he  was 
exposed  to  in  the  way  of  punishment,  compared  with  what 
he  is  as  a  forgiven  sinner,  and  what  he  will  be  through 
eternity,  must  fire  his  soul  with  wonder,  gratitude  and  ex- 
ultation; making  the  new  song  forever  new;  swelling  his 
bosom  with  irrepressible  rapture,  and  making  him  strike 
his  golden  harp  in  richer  and  still  richer  melody.  But  this 
is  only  one  part  of  his  occupation.  There  is  nothing  what- 
ever in  the  Bible  to  militate  against  the  supposition,  that 
everything  which  is  fitted  to  develop  the  powers  of  the  mind 
and  unfold  before  it  the  greatness  and  glory  of  the 
Almighty— every  kind  of  research  into  the  mysteries  of 
nature  which  may  be  afforded  in  the  almost  infinite  variety 
of  the  works  of  God— everything  which  tends  to  exalt  and 
ennoble  the  sensibilities  and  draw  them  out  in  delightful 
expression,  will  be  thrown  wide  open  to  the  experience  and 
enjoyment  of  every  redeemed  soul.  "For  the  LAMB  that 
is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feedthem."  (Rev.  vii  :  17.) 

Perhaps,  however,  those  who  have  attempted,  like  Dick 
in  his  Philosophy  of  a  Future  State,  to  sketch  the  probable 
employment  of  the  soul  hereafter,  have  not  given  sufficient 
prominence  to  that  which  is  its  peculiarly  appropriate  and 
delightful  occupation,  and  have  confined  it  too  much,  in  their 
speculations,  to  the  contemplation  of  material  things  and 
the  study  of  the  natural  sciences. 

Reasoning  from  analogy,  we  should  suppose  that  the 
peculiar  employment  which  a  renewed  and  sanctified  soul 
as  such  most  delighted  in  on  earth,  would  be  the  employ- 
ment in  which  it  would  most  delight  in  Heaven,  and  would 
be,  therefore,  the  employment  which  God  would  most 
probably  give  it. 

What  is  the  peculiar  work  which  above  all  others  delights 


370  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

the  soul  of  the  Christian  on  earth?  The  answer  unhesi- 
tatingly is, — Making  known  to  others  the  wonderful 
dealings  of  God  with  himself  in  the  way  of  mercy  and 
forgiveness,  that  he  may  lead  others  also  to  love  and  adore 
Him.  This  is  the  Scripture  representation,  for  says  the 
Apostle  in  the  passage  already  quoted  :  "  Ye  are  a  chosen 
generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar 
people;  that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises  of  Him  who 
hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvelous  light." 
(i  Pet.  ii  :  9.) 

And  furthermore,  no  conceivable  employment  more  per- 
fectly accords  with  Christian  principle  and  character ;  for 
benevolent  action  appears  to  be  the  necessary  expression  of 
the  Christian  life.  The  thing  which  above  all  others 
ministers  to  the  happiness  of  one  who  has  been  renewed 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his 
Divine  Master  and  "  do  good."  And  the  particular  kind  of 
good  which  most  delights  him,  is  that  which  has  for  its 
direct  object  the  glory  of  the  Redeemer  ;  and  therefore,  as 
has  been  said,  the  deep  emotions  of  his  heart  find  no  more 
natural  or  joyful  expression,  than  when,  by  proclaiming 
to  others  what  has  been  done  for  himself  as  a  redeemed 
sinner,  he  can  win  them  also  to  the  love  of  his  Savior. 

The  present  theory  proposes  this  as  the  grand  employ- 
ment of  the  redeemed  hereafter  and  forever — making  known 
to  newly-created  beings  the  love  and  mercy  of  God  as  exhibited  in 
their  own  salvation,  and  thus  "  showing  the  exceeding  riches 
of  His  grace  in  His  kindness  toward  them  through  Christ 
Jesus."  (Eph.  ii  :  7.) 

At  all  events,  the  explicit  declaration  of  the  Bible  is,  that 
God  is,  in  some  way,  by  means  of  the  redeemed  Church,  to 
make  an  exhibition  "  in  the  ages  to  come  "  of  "  the  exceed- 
ing riches  of  His  grace; "  and  to  whatever  beings  this  exhi- 
bition is  to  be  made,  it  is  hardly  conceivable  that  the  very 
subjects  of  salvation  should  perform  no  active  part  in  such 
a  manifestation  ;  especially  when  such  an  employment 
would  be  to  them  so  surpassingly  delightful.  It  is  hardly 


APPENDIX.  371 

conceivable  that  God  should  merely  array  them  before  the 
universe,  to  be  gazed  at  as  the  objects  of  His  redeeming 
mercy,  while  they  themselves  remain  silent,  It  seems  far 
more  natural  that  He  should  employ  them  directly  in  making 
known  to  others  the  wonderful  love  which  God  had  shown 
to  them,  and  send  them  abroad  through  His  universe  to 
proclaim  His  "  manifold  wisdom"  and  the  "  exceeding  riches 
of  His  grace  "  in  their  salvation. 

And  so  we  conclude  it,  at  least,  possible,  that  this  exalted 
employment  may  be  ours  hereafter,  to  go  from  world  to 
world  as  they  shall  be  successively  peopled  with  moral 
beings,  telling  ever  the  story  of  redemption — proclaiming 
ever  the  love  and  mercy  of  Him  "who  hath  redeemed  HS 
to  God  by  his  blood,"  and  singing  ever  the  "new  song," 
"  Worthy  is  the  Lamb,"  and  all  to  lead  them  to  the  love 
and  praise  of  the  same  adorable  Redeemer. 

This  view  opens  before  us,  in  the  future  world,  a  career 
of  usefulness,  benevolence  and  blessedness  so  magnificent, 
that  the  Christian  heart  can  ask  for  nothing  more,  for  it 
can  conceive  of  nothing  more  perfectly  corresponding  with 
the  highest  aspirations  of  its  own  sanctified  nature. 

It  discerns  in  this  the  employment  that  it  most  loves  on 
earth,  and  would  most  desire  to  have  prolonged  through 
eternity.  And  it  may  be  thus  prolonged,  for  there  may  be 
an  eternity  of  creation  as  well  as  of  time,  and  as  space  is 
unbounded,  so  may  the  work  of  creation  be  without  end. 

And  what  a  result  !  What  glory  would  accrue  to  the 
blessed  Redeemer  and  to  us  who  are  to  share  in  His  exalta- 
tion, to  behold  worlds  on  worlds  forever  coming  into  exist- 
ence, and  successively  peopled  with  intelligent  beings,  and 
the  happiness  of  all  depending  on  the  love  and  mercy  of 
God  as  exhibited  in  our  redemption. 

The  spontaneous  expression  of  the  Christian  heart  in  the 
contemplation  of  such  a  result  seems  to  be,  not,  "  Is  it  not 
improbable,"  but  "  May  I  believe  it  possible?"  And  the  answer 
is,  that  neither  reason  nor  revelation  contain  anything 
which  militates  against  such  a  supposition. 


372  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

Is  it  objected,  that  this  gives  the  redeemed  too  prominent 
and  important  a  position  in  the  Divine  administration  ? 
No  more  so,  it  is  replied,  than  the  Bible  gives  them.  The 
Bible  makes  them  "  chosen  of  God and precious ,"  and  chosen 
too  for  the  noblest  of  all  conceivable  employments — that  of 
"  showing  forth  the  praises  of  Him  ivho  hath  called  them  out  of 
darkness  into  His  marvelous  light"  (Pet.  ii  :  9) ;  and  the 
present  supposition  only  gives  them  in  Heaven  and  through 
eternity  the  same  delightful  employment  which  God  has 
given  them  on  earth. 

SEC.  4.      The  Church  a  Partaker  of  the  Divine  Nature. 

A  very  wonderful  statement  respecting  the  Church  is 
found  in  2  Pet.  i  :  4,  "  That  ye  might  be  partakers  of  the 
Divine  Nature."  What  is  implied  in  this?  Answer:  That 
the  Church  is  a  partaker  of  the  internal  character,  rela- 
tions and  experience  of  the  Godhead  ;  that  is,  its  internal 
character  of  benevolence,  its  internal  relations  of  affection, 
and  its  internal  experience  of  blessedness. 

1.  Of  Character.     "God   is  love;"  that  is,   He  is  a  being 
whose  character  is  that  of  perfect  and  universal  benevo- 
lence— the  outgoing  of  whose  infinite  heart  is  ever  in  the 
direction  of  securing  to  the  highest  extent    possible  the 
holiness    and    happiness    of    His    entire   moral    creation. 
Before  conversion,  a  man  is  ready  to  sacrifice  the  welfare 
and  happiness  of  the  Almighty,  and  of  the  entire  universe 
to  his  own  personal  inclinations.     In  conversion  this  state 
of  character  is  reversed,  and  he  comes  to  have  the  same 
moral  character  as  God  in  its  fundamental  element.     He 
becomes  truly   a   benevolent  man,  ready  to  sacrifice  every- 
thing to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  welfare  of  men,  and  thus 
becomes  a   partaker  of  the  Divine  Nature  in  its  internal 
Character  ;  as  says  the  Apostle  in  Heb.  xii  :  10 — "  Partakers 
of  His  holiness. 

2.  Of  Affection.     Affection   grows   out  of  personal    rela- 
tions.    The  father  loves  his  children,  and  the  children  love 
the  parent  on  account  of  the  personal  relations  which  they 
sustain   to   each   other.     So   there   is  among  the  different 


APPENDIX.  373 

persons  of  the  Godhead  a  similar  kind  of  domestic  affec- 
tion. The  Father  loves  the  Son,  and  the  Son  the  Father — 
"  For  thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world." 
(John  xvii  :  24.)  Now  sometimes  an  earthly  parent  adopts  a 
child,  and  comes  in  time  to  have  the  same  affection  for  him 
as  for  his  own  children.  And  the  adopted  child  comes  to 
love  the  parent  and  the  other  members  of  the  family,  and 
they  him,  just  as  if  he  were  a  natural  child.  So  the  Church 
has  been  adopted  into  the  family  of  the  Godhead,  "  That 
we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons  "  (Gal.  iv  :  5),  and  is 
loved  by  them  with  the  same  affection  which  they  have  for 
each  other;  "And  has  loved  them  as  thou  hast  loved  Me." 
(John  xvii  :  23.)  And  thus  the  Church  becomes  a  partaker 
of  the  Divine  Nature,  in  its  internal  relations  of  affection. 

3.  Of  Blessedness.  The  prayer  of  the  Savior  was  "That 
they  might  have  my  joy  fulfilled  in  themselves."  (John 
xvii  :  13.)  Not  a  part  of  it,  but  have  His  joy  fulfilled — the 
full  measure  of  His  blessedness.  What  was  that  "joy" 
that  in  full  view  of  the  garden  and  the  cross  could  yet  fill 
Him  with  such  heavenly  exaltation,  and  even  exultation  ? 
Several  elements  entered  into  it,  but  mainly  that  of  having 
finished  His  work,  and  finished  it  satisfactorily.  "I  have 
finished  the  work  which  Thou  gavest  me  to  do."  (John  xvii; 
4.)  So  also  He  had  said  before  this  at  the  well  of  Samaria. 
"My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  me  and  to 
finish  His  work"  (John  iv  :  34.)  And  at  this  point  the 
Church  enters  into  the  very  blessedness  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  becomes  a  "  partaker  of  the  Divine  Nature."  Hear 
Paul  in  his  contemplated  visit  to  Jerusalem,  going  straight 
into  anticipated  bonds,  imprisonment  and  death — hear  the 
language  of  his  calm  and  trusting  heart — "But  none  of 
these  things  move  me,  neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto 
myself,  so  that  I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy."  (Acts 
xxi  :  24.)  And  his  exultation  finds  a  still  grander  expres- 
sion in  2  Tim.  iv  :  7,  8 — "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have 
finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith."  O,  how  sur- 
passingly wonderful  is  the  joy  of  the  Christian  as  he  draws 


374  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

near  the  end  of  his  course,  and  looks  back  upon  a  life  con- 
secrated to  the  Master  in  obedience,  love  and  service! 

Nor  let  him  imagine  that  the  memory  of  his  failings  and 
imperfections  and  shortcomings  is  to  come  in  then  to  sad- 
den the  experience  of  the  dying  hour.  No  matter  what  he 
has  left  undone,  the  great,  grand  fact  yet  remains  that  he 
has  accepted  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  believed  in.  Him  as 
his  own  Redeemer.  Said  the  Savior — "This  is  the  work 
of  God  that  ye  believe  on  Him  whom  He  hath  sent"  (John  vi: 
29.)  "  This  the  work  " — For  this  God  made  him,  and  put 
him  into  this  world,  preeminently  that  he  might  do  this 
greatest  and  grandest  work  of  all — believing  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  and  he  has  done  it.  And  now  the  remem- 
brance of  this  fact  will  sweep  through  his  soul  with  unut- 
terable joy  in  spite  of  all  his  shortcomings.  Even  the 
very  perception  of  his  unworthiness  will  only  endear  the 
Savior  to  him  all  the  more,  and  open  to  still  deeper  depths 
the  fountain  of  his  blessedness.  And  so  in  the  perception 
— in  the  felt  consciousness  of  having  thus  finished  the  great 
work  God  gave  him  to  do — that  of  having  accepted  of 
Christ  as  his  Savior,  and  believed  in  Him,  he  becomes  a 
partaker  of  the  Divine  Nature  in  its  internal  experience  of 
Blessedness. 

But  there  was  another  element  in  the  Savior's  blessed- 
ness, which  is  thus  brought  out  in  Heb.  xii :  2,  "Who  for 
the  joy  set  before  Him  endured  the  cross,"  etc.  There  was 
not  only  a  joy  in  the  retrospect,  at  having  finished  His 
work,  but  an  overpowering  joy  at  what  was  yet  before  Him 
— the  anticipated  results  of  His  life,  sufferings  and  death. 
Says  Isaiah — "He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and 
shall  be  satisfied."  (liii :  II.)  That  is, -He  shall  see  such 
magnificent  results  flowing  from  His  life,  work  and  death, 
as  shall  even  "satisfy"  the  Redeemer  for  all  His  mighty 
sufferings.  This  was  "  the  joy  set  before  Him."  A  similar 
joy  is  set  before  the  Christian.  Says  Paul,  in  his  anticipa- 
tion of  future  glory — "  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a 
crown  of  righteousness  which  the  Lord  the  righteous  Judge 


APPENDIX.  375 

shall  give  me  at  that  day,  and  not  to  me  only  but  unto  all 
them  also  that  love  His  appearing."  (2  Tim.  iv  :  8.) 

And  so  all  the  redeemed  Church  will  have  a  similar  expe- 
rience. They  are  "a  crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the 
Lord,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  God"  (Is.  Ixii  :  3); 
and  God  Himself  esteems  nothing  so  precious  as  "The 
riches  of  the  glory  of  His  inheritance  in  the  saints."  (Eph. 
i:i8.) 

Here  we  get  a  glimpse  of  what  the  Apostle  saw  in  the 
heavenly  vision  which  God  gave  him  of  the  final  exaltation 
of  the  redeemed,  and  which  comes  out  in  that  overpower- 
ing utterance  of  his — "A  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
•weight  of  glory."  Verily  "  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things 
which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him."  (i 
Cor.  ii :  9.)  To  the  consideration  of  this  we  now  come. 

SEC.  5.      The  Final  Exaltation  of  the  Redeemed  Church. 

In  describing  the  future  glory  and  exaltation  of  the 
redeemed  Church,  the  Scriptures  exhaust  the  capacities  of 
language. 

1.  The  Church  is  to  be  a  habitation  "  of  the  Almighty  in 
which  He  will  dwell."      "Ye  are  builded  together  for  a 
habitation  of  God."     "  Ye  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God; 
as  God  hath  said,  '  I  will  dwell  in  them  and  -walk  in  them.' " 
(2  Cor.  vi  :  16.)     This  undoubtedly  is  strong  figurative  lan- 
guage, but  is  evidently  designed  to  indicate  the  most  inti- 
mate indwelling  and  companionship. 

2.  They  are  friests  unto  God.     "  They  shall  be  priests  of 
God  and  of  Christ."    (Rev.  xx:6.)    The  priest  was  one  who 
stood  between  God  and  the  people — the  Divine  representa- 
tive— the  dispenser  of  spiritual  blessings — the  medium  of 
communication  between  Him  and  them.     So,  in  the  general 
view  we  are  taking,  the  Church  will  be  the  high  priest  of 
the  universe;  the  medium  of  communication  between    God 
and   the    future    races  of   moral  beings,  and  the   channel 
through  which  will  flow  the  mightiest  blessings  which  God 
Himself  can  confer  upon  them — even  those  peculiar  motives 


376  THE    ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

and  influences  which  are  to  bind  them  to  God  and  holiness 
and  blessedness  forevermore.  Moreover,  so  exalted  is 
their  position  in  this  regard,  that  they  are  called  a  "royal 
priesthood,"  invested  with  kingly  prerogatives,  so  as  to 
become  "  kings  and  priests  unto  God."  As  says  the  Apos- 
tle in  Rev.  i  :  5,  6 — "  Unto  Him  that  loved  us  and  washed 
us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings 
and  priests  unto  God  and  His  Father." 

3.  The  Church  is  to  be  the  eternal  companion  of  Christ. 
"  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  Thou  hast  given  Me 
be  with  Me  where  I  am;  that  they  may  behold  My  glory, 
which    Thou   hast   given   Me"   (John   xvii  :  24);   and  they 
"follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  He  goeth."     (Rev.  xiv  :  4.) 
"  And  so  shall  we  e-ver  be  with  the  Lord."    (i  Thes.  iv  :  17.) 

4.  The  Church  is  an  object  of  intense  affection.     Christ 
"  loved  the  Church  and  gave  Himself  for  it."    (Eph.  v  :  25.) 

Also,  the  Church  is  called,  in  Rev.  xxi :  9,  "The  bride, 
the  Lamb's  wife,"  as  occupying  a  position  of  peculiar 
endearment,  typified  by  the  nearest  and  dearest  of  all 
earthly  relations. 

More  than  this,  the  different  members  of  the  Trinity 
bestow  the  same  degree  of  affection  upon  the  Church  that 
they  do  upon  each  other — "And  hast  loved  them  as  Thou 
hast  loved  Me."  (John  xvii  :  23.)  "As  the  Father  hath 
loved  Me,  so  have  I  loved  you."  (John  xv  :  9.) 

5.  Another  declaration  seems  to  represent  the  Church  as 
sustaining  to  the  Godhead  still   more  intimate   relations. 
The  redeemed  are  spoken  of  as  having  been  adopted  into 
the  Divine  family,  "  That  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of 
sons."      (Gal.  iv  :  5.)     "  Having  predestinated  us  unto  the 
adoption   of  children."      (Eph.   i  :  5.)     The  representation 
here  clearly  is  that  the  redeemed  Church  are  to  be  mem- 
bers of  the  Divine  family,  somewhat  as  children  are  now 
not  unfrequently  adopted  into  our  families,  and  as  adopted 
children  share  in  all  the  privileges  and  blessings  of   the 
other  members  of  the  family. 

6.  The  Church  is  to  occupy  the  throne  of  the  universe 


APPENDIX.  377 

with  the  Godhead,  and  to  hold  a  veritable  position  of 
authority  over  the  entire  creation  of  God.  "To  him  that 
overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  Me  in  My  throne,  even  as 
I  also  overcame  and  am  set  down  with  My  Father  in  His 
throne."  (Rev.  iii  :  21.) 

Neither  is  it  to  be  a  mere  temporary  arrangement,  but  an 
eternal  position  of  rule  and  authority — "  And  there  shall 
be  no  night  there;  and  they  need  no  candle,  neither  light  of 
the  sun;  for  the  Lord  God  giveth  them  light,  and  they  shall 
reign  forever  and  ever."  (Rev.  xxii  :  5.) 

7.  The  Church  is  to  be  the  owner  and  proprietor  with  the 
Godhead  of   the  entire  universe — "All  things  are  yours, 
whether  things  present  or  things  to  come;  all  are  yours." 
(i  Cor.  iii  :  21-23.) 

First — By  virtue  of  heirship.  They  are  "  heirs  of  God  and 
joint  heirs  with  Christ,"  and  both  are  "glorified  together" 
(Rom.  viii  :  17.)  This  characteristic  is  repeatedly  men- 
tioned. "Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a 
son;  and  if  a  son,  then  an  heir  of  God  through  Christ." 
(Gal.  iv  :  7.)  Also  "  heirs  of  the  kingdom;  "  "  heirs  together 
of  the  grace  of  life."  Whatever,  therefore,  Christ  inherits 
of  all  the  treasures  of  the  universe,  by  virtue  of  His  rela- 
tions to  the  Father,  the  redeemed  are  also  to  share  with 
Him.  Being  "joint  heirs  with  Him,"  they  inherit  the  uni- 
verse together  with  Him. 

Secondly — By  virtue  of  victory  achieved.  "  He  that  over- 
cometh shall  inherit  all  things."  (Rev.  xxi  :  7.) 

The  expression  above — "things  to  come" — should  be 
especially  noticed,  representing,  as  it  does,  that  in  all  the 
progress  and  enlargement  and  magnificence  of  the  future 
universe,  they  are  to  have  a  common  interest  and  posses- 
sion with  the  Godhead — a  positive  and  rightful  ownership 
in  its  transcendent  and  eternal  glories. 

8.  More  than  this,  the  Church  is  to  have  all  the  greatness 
and  grandeur  and  glory  of  the  Godhead  itself  put  upon  it 
—even  the  infinite  glory  of  the  Almighty.     For,  says  the 
Savior  in  His  last  prayer,  "The  glory  which  Thou  gavest 


378  THE   ORIGIN   OF   SIN. 

Me,  I  have  given  them."  (John  xvii  :  22.)  Now,  what 
glory  did  God  put  upon  His  Son?  Answer:  "  He  set  Him 
at  His  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above 
all  principality  and  power  and  might  and  dominion,  and 
every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also 
in  that  which  is  to  come.  And  hath  put  all  things  under 
His  feet,  and  gave  Him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things." 
(Eph.  i  :  20-22.) 

And  now  all  this  glory  which  God  has  given  Christ,  and 
which  is  brought  out  in  the  preceding  statement,  Christ 
has  given  the  Church — even  the  glory  and  exaltation  and 
majesty  of  the  Godhead  itself .  How  truly  is  the  glory  of  the 
redeemed  Church,  "that  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory  !  " 

Taking  now  these  various  statements  together,  they  ap- 
pear to  indicate  that  the  Church  is  to  come  into  a  kind  of 
partnership,  as  it  were,  with  the  Godhead  in  the  control  and 
management  hereafter  of  universal  affairs.  Notice:  They 
are  to  sit  on  the  throne  of  the  universe  -with  the  Godhead, 
and  rule  and  reign  there  forevermore.  They  are  to  have 
with  the  Godhead  the  ownership  and  proprietorship  of  the 
entire  universe,  so  that  "  all  things"  will  be  theirs,  not  only 
in  this  world,  but  in  that  which  is  to  be  hereafter — "  things 
present  and  things  to  come."  They  are  to  be  "priests"  unto 
God,  as  being  the  medium  through  which  the  goodness  and 
lovingkindness  of  the  Godhead  are  to  flow  to  the  universe 
forever.  And  even  beyond  this,  all  the  glory  of  the  God- 
head itself  is  to  be  accumulated  upon  them.  The  mind 
staggers  in  the  contemplation  of  this  accumulation  of 
honor  and  glory  and  power  and  dominion  to  be  given  thus 
to  the  redeemed  Church. 

9.  And  this  is  not  enough.  The  Church  is  the  "  body  of 
Christ."  "  Now  ye  are  the  body  of  Christ,  and  members  in 
particular."  (i  Cor.  xii  :  27.)  "The  Church — which  is 
His  body."  (Eph.  i  :  22,  23.)  "  For  we  are  members  of  His 
body,  of  His  flesh,  and  of  His  bones."  (Eph.  v  :  30.)  As  if 
in  the  paucity  of  human  language,  inspiration  was  strug- 


APPENDIX.  379 

gling  to  represent  the  utmost  possible  intimacy  of  union 
between  Christ  and  His  Church — even  a  vital  union  tran- 
scending in  intimacy  of  connection  all  power  of  imagery 
or  expression. 

When  we  speak  of  the  different  members  of  our  own 
bodies  there  is  a  conception  underlying  all  this  individu- 
ality of  statement,  that  they  each  and  all  belong  still  to  one 
person — that,  notwithstanding  these  different  parts  and 
members,  there  is  running  through  the  body  a  complete 
and  all-embracing  unity,  so  that  together  they  constitute 
one  individual  or  person.  Such  appears  to  be  the  object 
aimed  at  in  this  peculiar  and  intense  utterance  of  the  Savior 
respecting  the  relations  of  the  redeemed  Church  to  Him- 
self, namely,  to  represent  the  Church  and  Himself  as  bound 
together  in  one  eternal  and  indissoluble  unity, 

10.  Another  statement,  surpassing  in  significance  and 
impressiveness  all  that  have  yet  been  made,  is:  That  the 
Church  is  to  be  "  the  fulness  of  Him  that  filleth  all  in  all." 
(Eph.  i  :  23.)  This  is  a  very  remarkable  expression,  and 
one  difficult  to  be  explained. 

How  can  the  Church  be  the  fulness  of  the  Infinite  Jeho- 
vah ?  For  the  passage  reads  as  if,  without  the  Church, 
there  was  a  want  of  completeness  and  fulness — as  if  the 
Church  came  in  to  complete  or  fill  up  a  something  in  which 
the  Godhead  was  lacking  without  it;  and  as  tho  the  fulness 
or  completeness  of  God  was  only  reached  through  and  by 
means  of  the  redeemed  Church.* 

This  is  a  wonderful  statement,  and  how  it  can  be  made 
to  appear  reasonable  is  not  clear.  An  answer  is  attempted, 
or  rather  merely  suggested,  in  the  light  of  the  general  plan 
of  the  universe  herein  developed. 

In  the  view  already  presented,  the  grand  work  of  eternity 


*  "  This  is  the  highest  honor  of  the  Church — that  the  Son  of  God  re- 
gards Himself  as,  in  a  certain  sense,  imperfect  unless  He  is  joined  to 
us."  (CALVIN'S  commentary  on  Eph.  i  :  23.)  This  accords  also  with  that 
remarkable  passage  already  quoted,  "The  riches  of  the  glory  of  His 
inheritance  in  the  saints."  (Eph.  i :  18.) 


380  THE    ORIGIN   OF   SIN.      . 

is  to  be  that  of  saving  from  apostasy  the  newly-created 
races  of  future  ages  and  of  future  worlds.  This  work  can 
only  be  accomplished  by  the  manifestation  of  the  Divine 
perfections;  and  particularly  that  manifestation  made  in 
the  redemption  and  salvation  of  sinners — that  wonderful 
and  overpowering  exhibition  of  God's  infinite  affection  for 
the  sinful  of  this  world. 

Now,  how  can  such  a  manifestation  be  made  ?  Obviously 
it  is  not  possible  to  manifest  affection  for  sinful  beings 
until  such  beings  have  been  created,  and  have  been  made 
the  objects  of  affection.  So,  in  that  sense,  it  is  nothing  de- 
rogatory to  the  Divine  perfections  to  say  that  God  is  de- 
pendent, as  it  were,  on  their  existence  and  redemption  for 
such  a  manifestation — that  the  grand  object  He  is  aiming 
to  secure  cannot  be  reached  without  them;  so  that  they  are 
thus  essential  to  securing  that  object  and  cannot  be  dis- 
pensed with.  Because  the  only  manifestation  which  the 
infinite  affection  of  God  for  the  sinful  as  shown  in  redemp- 
tion, has  ever  had  or  ever  will  have,  is  through  the  medium 
of  the  redeemed  Church;  for  "Christ  dieth  no  more." 
"  He  died  unto  sin  once"  and  once  only. 

Now,  the  motive  or  influence  derived  from  human  re- 
demption, in  the  view  we  are  taking,  is  absolutely  indis- 
pensable to  keep  the  future  races  of  the  universe  from 
apostasy;  and,  therefore,  God  must  have  the  redeemed 
Church  to  be  the  medium  of  His  manifested  affection. 
Therefore,  God  intends  to  find  in  the  Church  that  "ful- 
ness "  which  is  necessary  for  saving  the  future  universe  of 
moral  beings.  In  this  view  he  cannot  save  the  endless 
universe  -without  the  instrumentality  of  the  Church;  and, 
therefore,  is  it  spoken  of  as  coming  in  to  assist  in  this 
stupendous  work;  and  the  "fulness  of  God"  spoken  of 
consists  in  the  addition  to  Himself  of  the  agency  and  in- 
strumentality of  the  redeemed  Church  in  this  peculiar 
work.  And  so  He  calls  it  His  "fulness,"  or  completeness, 
as  that  without  which,  for  the  uses  of  the  future  universe 
in  the  line  of  salvation,  He  would  be,  of  Himself  alone, 


APPENDIX.  381 

insufficient  and  incomplete.  And  so  the  Church  becomes 
the  "  fulness  "  or  completeness  of  Him  who  yet  "  filleth  all 
in  all." 

II.  And  there  is  still  a  representation  given  by  the 
Savior  which  seems  to  carry  the  intimacy  of  the  relation  a 
step  farther.  "  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  Me,  and  I  in 
you."  (John  xiv  :  20.)  The  peculiarity  of  this  passage  is, 
that  the  union  between  Christ  and  the  Church  is  spoken  of 
in  the  same  way  as  the  union  between  Christ  and  the  Father. 
This  idea  or  representation  is  developed  still  more  clearly 
in  the  following  passages — "That  they  all  may  be  one  as 
Thou  Father  art  in  me  and  I  in  Thee,  that  they  also  may  be 
one  in  Us." 

"  That  they  may  be  one  even  as  we  are  one."  "  I  in  them 
and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one." 
(John  xvii  :  21-23.)  There  seems  to  be  a  something  indi- 
cated in  these  passages  in  respect  to  the  relation  of  the 
redeemed  Church  to  the  Godhead,  transcending  the  rela- 
tion of  children  or  heirs  or  adopted  sons — a  union  with  the 
Godhead  itself  in  some  strange  and  mysterious  manner, 
which  it  may  not  be  advisable  or  profitable  to  undertake 
either  to  explain  or  even  characterize.  In  section  2,  the 
expression  "  partakers  of  the  Divine  nature  "  was  explained 
to  mean — partakers  of  its  internal  character  of  benevolence, 
its  internal  relations  of  affection,  and  its  internal  experience 
of  blessedness.  The  expression  may  mean  something  beyond 
this — a  union  with  the  nature  itself;  and  that  the  Church 
is  to  sustain  hereafter  a  relation  to  the  Godhead  as  myste- 
rious and  wonderful  as  the  relation  of  the  individual  mem- 
bers of  the  Trinity  to  each  other.  On  this  point  specula- 
tion is  useless  and  unprofitable. 

At  the  same  time  these  expressions  are  designed  to  con- 
vey to  us  some  kind  of  an  impression — an  impression,  too, 
corresponding  with  the  language  employed.  They  are  de- 
signed to  represent  to  us  the  peculiar  relations  of  the  God- 
head to  the  redeemed  Church.  What  impressions  do  they 
necessarily  convey  ?  Almost,  if  not  certainly,  a  union  of 


382  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

personality.  The  language  would  seem  to  represent  the 
Church  as  being,  in  some  mysterious  manner,  taken  into 
the  Divine  Family,  and  made,  as  it  were,  a  member  of  that 
Family — a  veritable  Partner  in  the  possession  and  manage- 
ment of  universal  affairs,  and  being  also  a  partaker  in  all 
the  glory  and  blessedness  and  responsibility  of  the  God- 
head. 

Not,  of  course,  without  the  necessary  limitations.     For 

1.  No  infinite  attributes  of  Divinity  can  be  imparted  to 
the  Church.     This  is  impossible.     Neither 

2.  Can  it  become  an  object  of  worship.    This,  too,  is  impos- 
sible.    Yet 

3.  It  is  to  have,   in  the  view   we  are  taking,  and  which 
the  language  seems  to  convey,  a  vital  union  with  the  God- 
head in  the  great,  grand  work  of  eternity — very  likely,  as 
has  been  suggested,  the  salvation  of  the  endless  universe; 
its  peculiar  office  work  being,  perhaps,  to  illustrate  to  the 
universe  forever  the  infinite  mercy  and  love  of  God  in  the 
Plan  of  Redemption;  and  on  this  account  having  this  intimate 
and  personal  union  with  the  Almighty  in  the  prosecution  of 
this  mightiest   of   all   His  works. 

But  then  the  inquiry  cannot  be  repressed.  What  is  the 
full  meaning  of  these  strange  utterances  of  the  Savior,  "  I 
in  them  and  thou  in  Me,"  "that  they  also  may  be  one  in 
us?"  I  dare  not  make  an  assertion,  or  hardly  entertain 
a  belief,  and  will  only  venture  a  suggestion,  leaving  the 
reader  to  his  own  opinion  respecting  it,  that  He  intended 
to  convey  the  impression  that  the  Godhead  itself  was  to 
be  known  to  the  universe,  hereafter  and  forever,  as  A 
FOURFOLD  UNITY. 


APPENDIX  B. 

"  THE  MIDDLE  STATE." 

Prof.  CHARLES  A.  BRIGGS,  D.D.,  holds  that  Infants  need 
a  "  Middle  State  "  in  which  to  be  fitted  for  Heaven.  Also 
that  the  same  "  Middle  State  "  is  needed  for  imbeciles  and 
imperfect  Christians.  But  no  conclusive  evidence  of  such 
a  state  appears  in  the  Scriptures,  and  his  own  Scripture 
references  fall  far  short  of  furnishing  any  such  evidence. 

He  holds,  however,  that  the  nature  of  the  case  demands 
such  a  state — that  neither  infants,  nor  imbeciles,  nor  Chris- 
tians can  be  made  ready  for  Heaven,  until  they  have  been 
through  a  process  of  training  in  this  "  Middle  State."  Can 
this  be  made  to  appear  ? 

1.  Take  the    case   of    infants.     Says    our   Savior,    "In 
Heaven    their  angels  do  alway  behold  the   face  of   my 
Father  which  is  in  Heaven."    (Matt,  xviii  :  10.)     Now,  if 
while  "  beholding  the  face  of  the  Father  in  Heaven,"  they 
are  still  acting  as  the  guardian  angels  of  the  little  ones  on 
earth,  why  would  not  the  training  and  development  of  their 
infantile    powers    be   peculiarly    suitable    as    a   heavenly 
employment  ?     Heaven  is  not  to  be  thought  of  as  a  place  of 
mere  enjoyment,  but  of  work — of  service;  and  what  higher, 
or  holier,  or  more  heavenly   employment,    what  grander 
work  in  the  whole  universe  of  God,  can  there  be,  than  the 
training  and  development  of  a  moral  being  for  the  holiness 
and  activities  of  the  immortal  state  ? 

2.  The  same  train  of  reasoning  applies  equally  well  to 
the  case  of  imbeciles,     The   hindrances   to  mental  develop- 
ment appear,  in  their  case,  to  be  merely  physical — the  soul 
fettered  in  its  unfolding  by  its  connection  with  a  disorgan- 
ized body.     And  now  when  these  hindrances  and  obstruc- 
tions are  removed  by  the  separation  of  the  soul  from  the 

383 


384  THE    ORIGIN    OF    SIN. 

body  at  death,  why  will  not  that  undeveloped  spirit  come 
at  once  into  the  condition  of  the  infantile  mind,  and  need  a 
similar  experience  and  training,  a  work  peculiarly  harmo- 
nious with  the  heavenly  state,  and  with  heavenly  employ- 
ment? 

3.  As  regards  the  experience  of  Christians,  DR.  BRIGGS 
holds  that  while  Christians  are  fully  justified  in  this  life, 
they  are  sanctified  only  in  part,  never  reaching  perfec- 
tion in  this  world  ;  and,  therefore,  need  the  discipline  of 
the  "Middle  State,"  before  they  are  fit  to  enter  Heaven. 

What  is  the  moral  status  of  a  Christian  ?  He  has  an 
intention,  purpose,  determination,  or,  perhaps  a  better  word 
than  either  of  these,  a  principle  of  love  and  obedience  to 
God.  But  in  the  earlier  stages  of  his  Christian  experience 
it  is  comparatively  weak,  and  he  often  yields  to  temptation. 
Progressive  sanctification,  therefore,  is  the  progressive 
strengthening  of  this  principle  of  love  and  obedience;  and 
perfection  is  reached  whenever  this  principle  has  acquired 
sufficient  strength  to  resist  all  temptation.  When  this 
point  is  reached,  it  becomes  sinless  perfection. 

Now  are  we  sure  that  Paul,  or  Baxter,  or  Payson,  did  not. 
at  some  time  before  they  left  the  world,  reach  this  point, 
and  loved  and  served  God  as  acceptably  as  they  ever  will? 
Paul  at  one  time  says  of  himself  that  he  had  not  "yet 
attained,"  and  was  not  "already  perfect."  But  there  came 
a  time  when  he  could  say,  "  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered." 
If  sin  were  still  clinging  to  him,  if  something  were  still 
lacking  in  the  strength  of  his  Christian  principle  to  resist 
temptation,  was  he  quite  ready?  Angelic  perfection  is  only 
loving  and  serving  God  all  that  the  being  can  love  and 
serve  Him — nothing  more,  nothing  less.  Are  we  sure,  can 
we  be,  that  some  holy  men  of  God  did  not,  at  some  time 
before  they  died,  love  and  serve  God  with  all  their  moral 
powers  of  love  and  service,  even  as  perfectly  as  they  ever 
will  in  Heaven?  If  so,  they  certainly  did  not  need  any 
"  Middle  State  "  in  which  to  prepare  for  it. 

But  DR.  BRIGGS,  and  those  who  think  and  reason  with 


APPENDIX.  385 

him,  have,  in  all  probability,  an  idea  of  sin  as  something 
different  from  a  mere  state  of  the  will — some  taint,  corrup- 
tion, disease  or  moral  derangement  of  some  kind,  cleaving, 
as  it  were,  to  the  man — something  different  from  mere 
feebleness  of  will,  and  from  which  the  mere  event  of  death 
cannot  deliver  him.  But  this  idea  is  erroneous.  Sin,  any- 
where and  everywhere,  is  only  "the  transgression  of  the 
law;"  and  when  a  man,  or  any  moral  being,  has  reached  a 
point  in  his  moral  development  where  he  will  no  more 
transgress  law,  and  will  remain  forever  obedient,  then  has 
he  become  sinlessly  perfect  and  is  fitted  for  the  eternal 
companionship  of  God.  Are  we  sure  that  such  a  point  may 
not  be  reached  here  on  earth?  May  not  a  Christian  live 
so  near  God — "so  build  up  himself  on  His  most  holy 
faith,"  and  so  "keep  himself  in  the  love  of  God" — as  to 
resist  all  temptation,  even  here?  If  he  may,  are  we  sure 
that  none  ever  have?  If  such  a  point  be  reached  by  a 
Christian  before  he  dies,  then  will  he  be  fitted  to  enter  on 
the  bliss  of  Heaven  at  the  very  moment  of  his  death,  and 
will  need  no  "  Middle  State"  in  which  to  make  preparation 
for  it. 

4.  But  it  may  be  objected  that  such  an  experience  belongs 
only  to  a  few  de-voted  Christians,  and  that  the  mass  do  not 
reach  this  state  of  holy  experience;  and,  therefore,  that  the 
mass  of  Christians  need  some  other  preparation  for  Heaven 
than  what  they  get  on  earth.     Answer:  Every  true  Chris- 
tian is  sure  of  Heaven,  because,  under  any  and  all  tempta- 
tion, God  has  promised  to  "provide   for   him  a  way  of 
escape,"  even  while  here  on  earth.     Now,  suppose  at  the 
event  of  death  God  removes  him  from  all  temptation,  why 
will  He  not  be  fitted  at  once  to  take  up  the  song  of  the 
redeemed? 

If  all  temptation  be  removed,  or  if  no  temptation  will 
ever  be  allowed  to  assail  him  which  he  will  not  certainly 
resist,  then  he  will  not  sin,  and  no  "  Middle  State  "  will  be 
needed. 

5.  But  perhaps  DR.  BRIGGS  regards  the  sin  and  imperfec- 


386  THE    ORIGIN    OF   SIN. 

don  of  a  Christian  the  same  in  its  nature  and  character  as 
the  sin  of  one  who  is  not  a  Christian.  If  so,  then  a  correc- 
tion is  needed  at  this  point,  for  the  two  are  radically  and 
fundamentally  different;  thus — The  sin  of  one  who  is  not 
a  Christian  is  the  natural  development,  the  consistent  act- 
ing out  of  the  selfish  principle  of  his  heart.  It  is  the  "  evil 
thing"  which  he  "brings  forth  out  of  the  evil  treasure  of 
his  heart." 

On  the  other  hand,  when  a  Christian  sins,  he  acts,  under 
the  momentary  pressure  of  temptation,  right  against  the 
benevolent  principle  of  his  heart.  At  the  bottom  he  all  the 
while  loves  God  supremely,  but  is,  for  the  moment,  over- 
come by  temptation.  The  case  of  Peter  is  an  example. 

Now,  when  removed  by  death  from  all  the  solicitations 
of  the  flesh,  and  from  all  earthly  surroundings,  which  at 
times  obstruct  the  outworkings  of  his  love  for  his  Savior, 
what  should  prevent  that  love  from  breaking  out  in  raptur- 
ous expression  the  moment  he  leaves  the  world  ?  Would  it 
not  be  entirely  suited  to  heavenly  surroundings  ?  Like 
Paul,  he  "  desires  to  depart  and  be  wit/t  Christ."  What 
should  hinder  him?  He  longs  for  the  purity  and  holiness 
of  Heaven,  and  nothing  has  prevented  him  from  enjoying 
this  purity  and  holiness  on  earth  but  his  earthly  and  fleshly 
surroundings.  And  even  here  he  has  often  sat  together 
with  his  fellow-Christians  "in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus."  Now,  when  all  these  earthly  hindrances  are 
removed  by  death,  why  is  he  not  ready  at  once  to  take  up 
the  song  of  the  redeemed? 

Our  Savior  said,  "I  will  come  again  and  receive  you 
unto  Myself;"  just  as  if  the  coming  and  receiving  were  to 
be  simultaneous. 

Paul  evidently  expected  to  "be  with  Christ  "  as  soon  as 
he  "  departed," — "  having  a  desire  to  depart  and  to  be  with 
Christ"  (Phil,  i  :  23.) 

Peter,  writing  to  his  fellow  Christians,  tells  them,  in 
i  Pet.  iv  :  13,  that  their  "gladness  and  exceeding  joy  "  were 
to  be  experienced  when  "his  glory  should  be  revealed," 


APPENDIX.  387 

not  at  some  future  time  after  they  had  been  trained  in  a 
"Middle  State." 

Also  he  says  in  i  Pet.  v  :  4,  that  the  "  crown  of  glory  " 
should  be  received  when  "the  Chief  Shepherd  should 
appear;"  that  is  immediately — at  his  coming;  plainly 
implying  that  then  they  were  fully  prepared  to  receive  that 
crown,  and  not  that  they  must  wait  a  while  in  order  to  be 
perfected. 

The  whole  trend  of  the  Scripture,  therefore,  is  in  this 
direction — that  Christians  are  to  enter  on  the  joys  of 
Heaven  as  soon  as  they  leave  the  world. 

On  the  whole,  the  position  of  DR.  BRIGGS,  that  either 
infants,  or  imbeciles,  or  Christians  need  a  "  Middle  State" 
as  a  preparatory  training  place  for  Heaven,  appears  to  rest 
on  no  defensible  foundation. 


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